The Sacrifices and Dark Nights of Rose
by Skeletons93
Summary: Moving is tough. New friends, new school, new lifestyle. But for Rose, it all comes too easy. Her first day in her new school, and she's already welcomed. But throughout the school year, will her heart seize to be HIS forever? Read along! It may not be the same as Twilight, but it's VERY similar. That is why I'm publishing it on fanfic. Also, XxPaNcAkExX wud be my old name
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter one: _

"**Moving"**

We were moving to Mascot, Phoenix. It's not that sunny in Mascot during this kind of season (it was August, which was fall), and it's a very poor city. Before we moved we were living in Tarellson, Arizona. It's always hot over there in every season, but only during the winter it would be cold, (but not that cold). I'd always wear tank tops, short sleeve shirts, and long jeans. I got used to wearing like that, but I would never wear skirts or shorts outside of the house. I do wear them in my room though. Besides I only have one pair of shorts that comes exactly above my knee.

Anyways we were moving, because Jack is job wasn't going so well, so he had to find a new job. Jack is an engineer in building, and he really doesn't like his job, but that's what he studied in University Of Arizona.

We were on the plane five hours flying and I did get bored. I didn't want to leave, but I had to. I didn't want to leave my friends, my school, and everyone I knew behind. I was missing them all this very minute.

After we got down from the plane I couldn't wait to see our new house, and my new room. I was exhausted and hungry but I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to sight see the city while we were driving towards our new home.

Coming to a stop, I looked at our new home. It was small, and it was a two-story house with a blue rooftop. It looked like it needed some fixing and gardening from the outside, but it seemed okay from the inside.

The best part of the house was the backyard. It had a huge, wide, clear, clean, spaced area where you can fix up a party which can fit at least one-hundred people in it. It was all green wherever your eyes stare at. There was a sitting area, and the ground on the sitting area had tile, and the tile color was beige. The sitting area was thirty yards square. Our backyard had a forest in front of it, and the image of it was beautiful. It had long thin, old, huge trees. I smelled the nature; the aroma of the old, musty trees, the air breeze that swirled nature scent all around me. It smelled remarkably fresh.

I took my suitcase up to my new room. I took the medium bedroom. I started unpacking first I took out my radio, and my CD case, because I like to hear music while I am doing something. It's a habit. I told mom (she's actually my step mom) I would come and help her unpack after I am done. She said, "Yeah okay that's fine."

I said, "Okay."

I gave her a kiss on the cheek, and went back upstairs to finish unpacking. Unpacking took forever, and I was tired (well at least I ate spaghetti for dinner).

Moving meant going to a new school, having new friends, and meeting new people (but I know Jack and mom have a couple of friends living here in Mascot).

I went to sleep after finishing everything, and I mean _everything_. There was a week left before school started, and that meant I needed to find a school that was close to our house, and buy new clothes, and school supplies. The problem is I didn't have a car.

The next morning I woke up, got out of bed, out of my room, and stared out of the window that was in the hallway. The day looked cloudy, and it looked like it was going to rain. I loved the rain. I love to walk outside while rain pours on me. Anyways, as I was staring outside the window I see a shiny car, and I was sure it wasn't ours. It was weird though, because the car was a Hummer, and the Hummer is one of my favorite cars. Also, its color was black, and had a color of blue flames around it, which these two colors were my favorite too. There was only one person in the family that knew what was right for me, and knew what my favorite things were, and that person was my step mom. I totally respected her, and loved her as my real mother. She respects, and loves me too. I wouldn't have survived without her leading me the right way. She is totally cool; to me she was a rock star.

I was talking with her about how I like my new room, and blah-blah-blah, while eating breakfast, when finally I asked her, "Who's that Hummer for that's parked outside?"

She said, "It's for you. I bought it for you."

"Why did you buy it for me? You know we're out of money, right?"

"Of course I do know we're out of money, I just bought it, because you're sixteen, and when you're seventeen you deserve a car, and you can take care of yourself. Well… At this age you start taking care of yourself. Besides I treat you as my real daughter, because you are the only girl I have, and plus you are responsible for your actions."

I was so excited. I said, "Oh my God, thank you, thank you, thank you. I love you so much."

"Well I am your stepmother, and I will always treat you as you're my real daughter."

"Okay I'd prefer you as my real mother, not my stepmother. Even though we don't have the same blood."

"I know sweetheart. Listen don't you want to go, and drive your new car?"

"Yes, I'm going to go change right now, and find myself a school. Bye. Love you."

"Love you too honey."

She looked happy when I flashed a huge smile across my face. She was the perfect mother for me. I went upstairs, and got dressed. I took one of my mixed CDs so I could listen to them in my new car; I took my purse, checked to see if I had my driver's license (just in case anything happens), took my cell phone, took some cash from my mom, took my new set of car keys, and started the engine. I was so happy. I finally had a car to drive.

I found a school that was fifteen minutes away from my house, and it was the only building that was on the block. It looked like it was only for high schoolers, because it was called Mascot High School. I parked my car, got out of it, and went inside the school (there were no fences around the school which was weird). Besides having fences, there were trees, and grass around the school. I saw a woman behind the reception desk. She assisted me into helping me enroll. She gave me papers to fill out so I could get in. I finished filling them out in an hour, and handed them back to her. I'm surprised they don't ask for a parent's signature.

As I was reading the paper for what I needed to buy for school, and walking for the door this guy comes in and I am so not watching where I was going. We bumped into each other really hard. I fell to the ground, but he didn't which was weird. Because I'm sure we both could've fallen from impact. He held out his hand. I placed mine in his, and as he was helping me up his hands were freaking cold (I didn't expect his hands be so cold. They were cold as an ice plate in Antarctica). My whole body shivered. The guy smelled really good though he smelled like a smell that was out of this world, no one has ever created. The air that shifted his scent toward me hit me like a train just moved through me it was too much for me to handle the sweet scent that came off his skin. Getting up real slowly, I was caught in his intense gaze. I wasn't staring at anything else; just his eyes. They were the color of sapphire with a mix of green that looked like flames around his pupil. They were really beautiful. His eyes were eyes I've never seen before. They were almond shaped, and not that wide spaced; just normal. Although it looked like he had very white, pale skin. He looked like he was…dead. He was staring at my eyes too, but not as much as I was. Somehow I had to snap out of it. He said, "Umm… Are you okay?"

I said, "Oh…Yeah I'm…I'm…I'm fine I…I…I was just thinking about something that's…that's all." I was talking way too fast, and I think I was stuttering. I couldn't even concentrate on what I was saying or going to say. I just spoke whatever came to my mind.

"Oh okay. Could you like be careful where your going next time?"

"Yeah sure, I can do that. I'll try to be careful. I'm really really sorry."

"It's okay. It happens all the time." His eyes were kind of squinting. He looked like he was smiling.

"Oh." I guess I'm not the first.

"Well okay I got to go. Bye."

"Okay bye."

He turned his back, and headed straight for the assistant. For this whole time, while we were talking I kept staring at his eyes and smelling his beautiful scent that he had on him. I was walking out of school, and he was going inside the school.

As I was in my car, I started talking to myself. I was telling myself for how stupid I was by only staring at his eyes for along time, but he was also staring at me too (but not as much as me). He smelled really good. I wonder though why he was so cold. I mean it wasn't that cold outside. I was wearing a short sleeve shirt for crying out loud. Probably he was cold from the air condition he had on in his car.

Anyways, I didn't want to go buy supplies, and clothes all by myself, so I called mom, and told her for her, and little Joey to get dressed, because we were going to shop together. As I came home, my mom, and little Joey were ready (of course Jack was at his new work as usual. Thank God I didn't have to see his face), and we first went to shop for supplies, and then we went to buy clothes. I bought five shirts and a couple of pairs of jeans. Mom and little Joey bought some clothes too. The clothes felt like good quality, especially for a very low price. Anyways, after that, we went to eat. We bought some food for Jack. While we were going home, I told mom everything what happened. She asked, "Was he cute?"

I said, "You know as I was saying I was staring at his gorgeous, beautiful eyes I didn't see his whole face, just his eyes, but don't worry though, I'll check out him out, and see if he's cute, if he applies for this school. And you know I think I'm going to like it here."

"Good for you."

When we came home, we were really exhausted. Little Joey of course was asleep while I was driving. Mom picked him up, which meant I had to hold Jack's food (ugh). As we came in Jack was home, waiting. I gave him his food. He said, "What the hell is this?"

I said, "Your food. Like what the hell do you think it is?"

"Smells like shit."

"No actually it's your favorite. Bacon Burger." I gave him an attitude.

"Ah yes indeed my favorite. Okay you could go now."

Thank God, I was out of there. I can't stand my father at all. I went to my room, and organized my things that I bought. After that, I went to sleep.

A week past, and it was Sunday, which tomorrow is going to be Monday. During the day, I was bored. I went outside to the backyard all by myself. I closed the door behind me, and stared at the forest. I took deep breaths, and smelled the nature that I was surrounded with. I walked inside it being careful not go in deep. I loved nature. It was beautiful. And as I said there were a lot of huge, long, old trees, but as I was walking something was running in front of me. Like really, really fast. It was like a blur. I tried to run behind it which was stupid of me to do (what was I thinking), but the more I ran, the more I was far away from home. So I stopped myself, and headed back. As I was going back, the person came right in front of me. He came very close to me. I saw his face, but it did not look normal. After five seconds he was gone. This guy is face was very white, like he was dead. He had blonde hair. His hair was short medium. He tied his hair in a ponytail. His eyes were the color of dark brown. His teeth were not ordinary or normal though. He looked like he had fangs. After he was gone, I headed back to the house shivering and all scared. If I said anything about this to my mother, she would go crazy and wouldn't let me go out there ever again (well not by myself). So I decided to keep my mouth shut.

The next day I had to wake up early I woke up at six o'clock in the morning to get ready for my first day of school in Mascot. I went down and ate breakfast, and then back up to get dressed. I wore one of my new long sleeve shirts that I bought, and one of my new jeans. I took my backpack, my purse, my car keys, and my cell. I was very nervous. I went in my car, started the engine, and drove off to my new school.

The assistant gave me my new schedule, and first period I had math (my favorite subject). The teacher's name was weird, he, or she is name is Jovovich (whatever). There were many students walking in the hallway, and I couldn't find the class, but eventually I did. I tried to find an empty seat, but they were all full, except one chair was empty almost all the way to the front. I went to sit down, and there was a girl sitting beside me. She had blonde hair, and her hair was straight, and long. We met. Her name was Teresa Jackson (she looked at my schedule, and we had two classes together).

First period was done. Next, I had History (ugh, I hate History. It's my third worst subject). The teacher's name is Holmes. Teresa how nice of her showed me the way to class. I told her, "Thanks."

She said, "You are welcome. Listen after this class finishes wait for me here in front of the class okay. Bye." She waved while giving her back to me, and rushing to her class.

She didn't even give me a chance to say later.

I feel like I always come late to class, because everybody is in class already (weird again). I tried to find a seat, and I did. It was beside another girl. We met, and her name was Angela. She was nice, but somewhat pushy. So after we talked a little I asked her, "Do you have any friends you know in this school?"

She said, "Yeah, my friends from last year. Look, it's a little town, and everyone knows everyone. I've known all my friends ever since the fourth grade."

"Well that's nice to know. I met Teresa Jackson in first period. She a friend of yours?"

"Oh definitely. Miss popular is so my friend. If anyone is a friend of Teresa, I'll be happy to be friends with him or her."

"I'm supposed to wait for her after class, so she can take me to my next class."

"I see. You two seem to have clicked then. Might as well tag along." She smiled.

Second period was done, next was English (number two worst subject). The teacher's name was Hilton (to tell you this, all my teacher's are women, except for Chemistry. I think). Me, and Angela waited for Teresa outside the classroom. Teresa came, and sent me to my next class, tagging along with us Angela. She said, "Meet me here to take you to lunch."

I said, "Alright."

"Okay bye."

"Bye."

Oh my God. People just kept coming to class early (were they all nerds?! I wonder). I saw an empty seat with no one in it. I sat down at the table, and then as I was sitting I find this guy sitting next to me. I didn't see him come in, neither did I see him sitting before I came. It was weird. I tried to talk to him, but he wouldn't respond. I stared at him (I have no idea why) for a long time, then I notice it was the guy from the other day, the one I bumped into. I remembered him from the beautiful scent he had on him, and his eyes. I turned to him and said, "Hey, you're that guy from the other day. Remember you bumped into me?"

He turned around to face me, and said, "Don't worry. I know who you are. I remember."

"O…Kay… well why didn't you respond or answer me while I was talking to you?"

"I'm sorry. I just don't get along very well with people."

"Oh okay. Sorry to bother you." Rude self.

"It's okay."

The problem is when every time we bump each other's arms by accident his skin always felt cold. Cold the hair on my arms would start to stand up, and I would get goose bumps on my arms. After class finished, I wanted to ask him if he was always this cold, but when the bell rang after I could turn my face to him, he was gone. I muttered under my breath, "Man, he's gone."

I came to stand outside the class, because I was waiting for Teresa so we could go to lunch together. She came, and we went to the cafeteria. I hoped myself I would find the guy that was sitting beside me during third period.

Me, and Teresa bought food, went to sit down at the table where I saw Angela, and I guess Teresa's other friends. She invited me to sit with her. She introduced me to her other friends.

There were four guys. Their names were Mark Rickson, Luke Lincoln, Mathew Terrence, and John Brown. There were four girls too. Their names were of course Teresa Jackson, and Angela Peters, and then Cassie Cutters, and Julie Corner. Teresa's boyfriend was Mark, Angela's boyfriend was Mathew, Cassie's boyfriend was Luke, and Julie's boyfriend was John. I couldn't believe they were all together (except for me).

I found the guy that I was sitting with during English class. He was sitting three tables down. I asked Teresa, "What's that guy's name that's sitting at that table not eating anything?"

She said, "Who? Him? That's Tom, and his group. They always come to school not eating anything."

"Well…Does he have a girlfriend?"

"No, but his group they're all together. Don't even bother yourself to ask him out, he doesn't date. And to me I think he's gay."

"Well did any girl ask him out?"

"Well there was, and that girl was Julie."

" What happened? Did he accept her, or refused?"

"He totally refused. He told her she wasn't his type. She really liked him."

"That's harsh."

"Yea I know. Julie came crying to me, and I told her its okay you'll find someone else, and she did. She found John."

"Were there other girls that asked him the same thing?"

"Yea, like millions. Like all the girls that are in this school."

"Are you serious? And he refused?"

"Yea he even refused to go out with the hottest cheerleader, who was popular, because she looked like a girl that worked on the streets, and believe me she does. Her name is Katelyn."

"Have you asked him out?"

"No not really. I wanted to, but after he was refusing to all the girls I told myself why bother. Besides, I don't like him anymore, and probably he doesn't want a girl. Probably he wants a guy you know. So I just didn't ask."

"Oh." Awkward.

"But hey if he accepts a girl she's going to be very lucky, and I hope they'll be happy together. Or if he's into a guy, then go figure."

"He seems really lonely. But I don't think he's gay." I was trying to read him while I was staring at him, and as I was staring at him he stared back at me. I took my eyes off of him before he saw me and I started to blush.

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't know. It's just the way he acts, and the way he looks doesn't seem gay at all. He actually looks like a normal guy."

"Ohh I see your point. You have a crush on him."

I started to blush again. "No I don't."

"Yes you do."

"No. I. Don't"

"Don't worry. I know you're blushing. It's okay. It's not like I'm going to tell anyone."

"Better not. This is only between you and me."

"It's okay. You can trust me…Is it me, or did everyone just go to class? Oh crap. We're late. Let's go."

"Okay. Listen you go to class and its okay I'll find my way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah I am"

"Well okay. Laterz!"

"Bye."

We started running. Next, I had Chemistry (my number one worst subject). My teacher's name was Jones. I was starting to have a headache, and class was like at the other side of the building. This meant I had to go outside, and walk to the other side. As I was walking, going outside, I came to the door. When I first stepped outside, I started getting dizzy, and light headed. I had to sit down. I know I had to get out of sight from the assistant, because if she saw me I could get in trouble. Anyways there was a bench out of sight from her. I was walking as fast as I can. When I almost got to the bench, I bumped into someone hard again. I fell to the ground unconscious, but I smelled that beautiful smell again, and I knew it was him. It was Tom.

After I woke up, I was lying in the backseat of my car. I saw someone sitting in front, and I knew it was Tom. He was staring at me when I was trying to open my eyes. I asked him, "What time is it?"

He said, "Well let's just say the day is about to be over."

"Oh crap."

I tried to sit up. I stared at him for a long time. He had bronze messy hair. It looked like he didn't care to fix his hair. It was messy, and tousled like the wind was so strong it messed his hair up. He said, "Hi again. My name is Tom Williams. Sorry about the other day, and today. I guess we started off the wrong way. And you seem to always end up in my way."

I said, "I guess so. Rose Peterson."

"Rose. Huh! You like roses?"

"Yes I do"

"What color?"

"Red."

"I see. Color of blood." He smiled. I wonder why that smile...A smile so stunning. "So who named you Rose?"

"My mom. She died when I was young. When I was just a baby like probably five or six months old."

"Oh. Sorry to hear."

"It's okay. So how did I come in the backseat of my car?"

"Well you fell unconscious, and I picked you up, and put you in the backseat of your car. Is that a problem?" he asked with a worried tone.

I blushed. He picked me up? Laid me in his arms? "Yea it's okay… God my head still hurts." I put my thumb and index finger on the side of my head, and pressed very hard on both sides of my temple.

"Maybe I should go."

"No it's okay. Please stay." I didn't want him to go.

"Okay we'll talk, and get to know each other better, if you'd like?"

"That would be really nice."

"So your mom died when you were young?"

"Yeah. I don't know how, or what she died from though. You see I live with my dad who's a psycho, and I have a step mom who's worth loving."

"Oh, well don't you ask your dad how, or from what your mom died from?"

"I tried, but he's an ass. He would tell me some things about her when I only ask about her, and I can only ask him one question about her, because every time I bring her up he gets very angry. So I just stopped asking him."

"Ah. How come you all are living here?"

"Well Jack, my father, he works as an engineer, and his job wasn't going so well in Arizona. So we came to live here, and till now I guess his job is going good. He comes home with no complaints."

"I'm getting a vibe that you don't like your father much, do you?"

I gulped. What is there to like about my father? He's bald with brown hazel eyes. And hands of an abuser. "We just don't get along much," was all I answered.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Yeah I have a little brother. His name is Joey, but I call him little Joey. He's my step mom's son."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No. Why?" Why would he ask me that?

"Nothing personal, just curious."

I raised a curious brow. "Okay. Let's talk about you."

"Okay what do you want to know?"

"Okay….umm….have you ever gone out with a girl?"

"Never."

"Not even on a date?"

"Not a single one."

"Okay…. Have you ever gone out with…. a guy?" I felt stupid, and embarrassed asking him this question.

"You think I'm gay? Ha ha ha….No I never went out with a guy, and to tell you the truth I'm not gay."

"Well if you didn't go out with girls I think people might think you're…a queer!"

"Yeah people might, and would think that, but only in this school, and this whole little town. The problem is the girls they're just not my type."

"Okay…. I'm sorry…." I sincerely apologized. "I shouldn't have brought the subject up. So you're not gay! So…. if a girl comes up to you, and she asks you out, you'd… just refuse?"

"Humph. Only if my heart said, and felt that she was the right one for me."

"Aww, that's sweet. But how would you know if you don't get to know her first?"

"If my dead heart beats for her, then she's the one."

"I see. So what would you do if she was the right one for you?"

"Well I'd take her, love her for the rest of my life, because I know she's the right one for me, and always be there for her. I would promise myself and my life upon it."

"Aww that is like so sweet of you. You know you're not really a bad guy. I really like that in a guy. Whoever your heart chooses, that girl will be very special to you, and she will be lucky." We fell silent then. I sighed. And he looked at me. "Bored already?" he asked me.

I smiled. "No. I'm okay."

After a couple of extra conversations, we finally came out of my car, and walked beside each other (God he smelled so good). I started to blush, and I hoped he didn't notice. He was way taller than me. Maybe five foot, eight inches? He told me, "Nice car."

I replied, "Thanks. My mom bought it for me." I didn't even dare to look at him when I was red in the face.

"You mean your step mom?" he clarified.

"Yes my step mom." I smiled. "So I guess were friends now?"

"Uh, I don't think I can actually keep that promise."

My face fell. "Why not?"

He took awhile into answering me. "It's complicated."

"Oh, ok. Well, I guess see you around then?"

"Yeah."

I stayed standing against my car as he left me standing alone without looking back.

God he is so gorgeous. I felt like sinking down to the bottom core of the earth.

After school went out, I told my new friends I would see them tomorrow. I got into my car, and drove home. After I parking, I went through the front door, and into the house. I opened the door, and my mom was standing, waiting for me. She said, "How was your first day at your new school?" She asked excited!

I said, "You won't believe what happened today!"

"What? Did you make any friends?"

"Yeah I did." I told her. I didn't want to tell her about Tom just yet.

"Oh sweetie thats good."

"Yeah it's good I guess. Okay I'm going to my room now, and do my homework. Call on me if you need anything."

"Alright."

I am totally happy now.

I went to my room, opened my books, and started doing my homework. My mom called on me to go downstairs, and eat. I told my mom some adventures that happened today except the Tom topic.

After eating, I went back upstairs to my room. Now I know my window was closed, but when I came back up it was open. I went to close it, and locked it, making sure nothing could come in. But I felt a presence, a wrenching gut twist that someone was in my room while I was eating downstairs. A shudder rippled through my skin. I told myself that it was nothing when the deeper part of me was saying it's not.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter two:_

"**Going out"**

I couldn't sleep right when some one I did not know was in my room.

I got out of bed, and went to the bathroom. As I finished washing my face, I started getting ready for school. I went downstairs, ate breakfast, and headed for school I cannot believe Jack did not say anything about my car. He's probably not going to be the boss of me anymore.

Teresa was by my locker waiting for me. I smiled, and excited already to tell her what happened yesterday. "I have good news," I told her. "We talked. And I mean literally talked."

"Who are you talking about exactly?" she was confused. Her eyebrows hit against each other.

"Me and Tom." I told her the whole story. The whole thing. All details.

"Are you serious? You and him...in your car…_togethe_r…_alone_?" She clapped both of her hands together in little claps. She had a huge grin on her face. "And he picked you up? Well no gay guy would do that. So I guess he's not gay after all."

"Yeah, and you know he's not really a bad guy. He's actually sweet….And he smells good too."

"I know that's right."

"Hmm-hmm."

She was so excited. Teresa and I had half an hour left before our classes started, but then the unexpected happens. This girl came up to me and Teresa. She was a true blonde with long hair that was straight and with a lot of makeup on her face. She was also wearing a cheerleader uniform. She said "Hi. Are you Rose?"

I said, "Uh…yeah. Who are you?"

"Oh my name is Katelyn McPhee. We both have English together."

"Ah. You're the head cheerleader and the popular girl in school, right?"

"Uh yeah, who told you?"

I chuckled. "Ha ha. A bit obvious." Her overload of tanning makeup and cheerleading outfit was not hard to miss.

"Okay whatever." (how rude!), "Um…I've heard that you and Tom were in your car alone yesterday and I was wondering….is that true?"

"Yeah." I answered.

She took a little handful of her own straight blonde hair, and started playing it with her index finger by twirling it around, and staring at it. She said, "Oh I just heard you right now talking about it, and since you and Tom are both now friends I was wondering…if you could convince him to go out with me?" She had her eyes squinting as if I was going to say no, but I was going to ask questions first.

"Don't you have a boyfriend already? And who said him and I are friends?!"

"Yeah I do have one, but I don't like him."

"Well why don't you?"

"Because he doesn't care about me. He's always with his friends, and he's always around other girls."

"Well don't you do the same thing as he does? Like hang out with your friends, and let guys check you out?" I was starting to get pissed. I started giving her an attitude. I put my arms across my chest.

"Damnit it's none of your business what goes on newbie. Just convince Tom to go out with me."

Jeesh. Pushy much?! "Okay tell me this, why do you want to go out with Tom?"

"Well one reason is because he's hot, second reason is because I'll be the luckiest girl in this school that is going to go out with him first."

Of course it's all about luck. "But didn't you ask him once?"

"Yeah, and he refused." She rolled her eyes, and had a mean look on her face. I felt like punching her. "But I want to try again, and this time through you."

"Okay well he said that to you once, so why bother asking again?"

She scoffed. "Look, do me a favor, and I'll do you one in return." She smiled wide with wickedness.

"How about you go ask –"

The bell rang, and we had to go to our classes. Darn it. I couldn't even finish what I was going to say. She said, "Just ask him. God, does there have to be so many questions?! Sheesh." 'And the devil has walked away'. Okay this girl was way out of the line, and this meant there is going to be some serious drama going on. Teresa could not believe what just happened. She said, "One day that girl is going to get beat up."

I said, "I know that's for sure. Ha."

"I can't believe you stood up against her for him. That's so nice of you."

"Well what else did I have to do?! I couldn't let her keep on talking, and me stay quiet. I defend my friends, even if they didn't want to be friends." Ironic, I know.

"Really you would?" Her eyes looked pleased, and looked appreciated to know who I really am when it comes to my friends.

"Yup, but you know what's bothering me right now, I can't believe that this just happened right now on my second day of school…This is just so…offensive." I was pissed, and it was true that it was only my second day at my new school.

"Don't worry. I'm right by your side. Besides, these things happen around here sometimes."

"Yeah I know, but not on the second day of school?!" I said in a disgruntled face.

"Just don't worry. Katelyn is…stupid and…doesn't have any good manners. She's a bad influence. Plus, she's all talk, and no work."

"Well, you've been around her more than I have. Thanks for cheering me up a little."

"You're welcome. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid!"

"Like what?"

"Like starting a fight with Katelyn."

"It's not like I'm going to back…."

"Just _promise._"

"Okay, okay I promise."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome…Anything else?"

"Umm…No."

"Okay let's go to class then." I smiled.

"Alright" She smiled too.

Anyways two periods past, and now I had English. Teresa asked me, "Are you actually gonna ask him for Katelyn?"

"Well I have to, don't I?! Besides, I'm pretty sure he'll refuse since no is his favorite word when it comes to being asked out."

"Well, good luck with asking."

I said, "Thanks." I know I'm going to need it.

I saw Tom sitting in his seat. Then I saw Katelyn who was with her 'jock' boyfriend (I guess), and staring at me. I knew why she was staring at me. So I did what I had to do, which is something I didn't want to do, but I had to (how dumb of me). Can any more embarrassment happen in my life lately?! I said, "Hey Tom. Can I ask you a question?" I sat down beside him nervous. This is something I barely do. Actually never do.

"What concept of 'we can't be friends' don't you understand?!"

I felt whip-lashed. He can be so sweet yet so rude and harsh at the same time. The look on my face was probably devastating.

He sighed. He said, "Yeah sure. Anything. Go ahead."

I shake my head. "Just...forget it."

"No really tell me. I'm curious."

I sighed giving up. "…. Katelyn told me to ask you if you would like to go out with her." (Please say no, say no!)

He said, "I had a feeling you were going to ask me that question. Tell her I'm not interested for the tenth time."

I said, "Oh okay" (Yay my wish came true!). Then I said, "But wait, what gave off to you knowing I was gonna ask you that?"

He said, "Because she was staring at you so it looked too obvious."

"Oh. So you noticed?"

"Yes I did."

I turned around to tell her that I was going to tell her after English class for what he said. When I wanted to face back staring to the teacher, my arm accidentally bumped into his arm, and I shivered for a second. And this reminded me to ask him. "Are you always this cold?"

He said, "As a matter of fact yes."

"Well why?"

"Because I was born to _be_ cold."

"That's impossible. I'm not cold. Well….I am now, but I'm not born to_ be_ cold."

"It's a temperature problem I have in my system. Just forget about it. You wouldn't understand."

"Okay, but if you want to tell me anything you know you could, and I wouldn't tell anyone…even my mom."

"I'm sure you won't." He smiled, and behind it looked like he was hiding a secret.

I scrunched my brows together trying to figure him out. It's either he was speaking in riddles or just being sarcastic.

After class finished, I asked him, "You want to come to lunch with me?"

He said, "No, I got to go somewhere."

"Oh okay."

"I'm going to go hike, and I have to go today."

"Okay well hope you have fun."

I turned around to pack my books, but when I turned around to face him to tell him I'll see him later he was already gone. I told myself in a whisper, "There's something wrong with him. I'm sure."

Anyways Katelyn came to me, and said, "Okay tell me…. No wait he said yes right?" She had huge excitement in her eyes. Too bad that huge smile and excitement is going to fade away.

I said, "Actually he said he wasn't interested" Ha. I rubbed it in her face.

She said, "What? What kind of guy is he? All the guys would die for me."

She was walking away when she said that, and I said (in a whisper and totally staring at her with hateful eyes), "Well this guy doesn't. So just leave him alone." Then I turned and walked to the cafeteria.

I went to buy lunch, and then I went to sit at Teresa's table. I was staring at Tom's table. Nobody was sitting there. It was empty. Teresa came, and sat down beside me. She said, "Wow. Tom's table sure is empty. Where did he and his group go?"

I said, "He told me he had to go hiking, and he had to go today, so I would guess his whole group went hiking too."

"Oh. So tell me what happened? Did he accept, or refuse?"

"He said he wasn't interested."

"Are you serious? He said that?" Her eyes were very wide open.

"Yup he sure did. I told Katelyn the exact same thing he said, and she got pissed."

"Ha. I could just imagine her face."

"Yeah well her ridiculous face is already on my mind. And I can't believe it was her tenth time asking him. I don't think this girl ever gives up."

The day passed, and I was glad I went to Chemistry at least not having a headache.

As I was walking to my car, Tom's car was right beside mine, and I find Tom leaning against his car. It looked like he was waiting for me, because when I came he stood up straight, and looked in my direction. Teresa was with me and she said as we were walking to my car, "Looks like he's been waiting for you."

I said, "You noticed too?"

"Yup. Well see you tomorrow." She winked.

Before I could open the door of my car, I saw Katelyn, and her group walking straight towards me. She came to me, and said, "Hey Rose, you want to go out somewhere today?"

I said, "Lemme think about it for a day, and I'll let you know. " I smiled bleakly.

I looked at her from the corner of my eye, and she gave me a glare. I sighed. "Fine. Where to?" I was putting my backpack in the backseat of my car. Like they say, keep your enemies closer.

"Well me, and my girls want to go out, and eat like right now. Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Okay let's go in my car."

I was confused. I'm pretty sure she knew I was rude to her, and that I gave her an attitude. It's either she's trying to play nice or either she's just some dumb blonde. "Okay."

Tom was staring, and that look in his eyes did not look pleased. He didn't say anything. He got into his expensive looking volvo car, and drove off with an unlimited speed. He did not look so happy. Awkward.

I went to Katelyn, and saw her car. It was a silver jeep. I got in it, and she started the engine. I called mom. She told me to have fun, and be careful.

It was an hour driving I wonder where we were going and at last we drove to a city called Hampton town. It looked a bit more high class. I asked Katelyn, "Ya'll come out here…. and eat?"

She said, "Yeah. They got the best food ever."

It was somewhat dark. Katelyn parked in front of a restaurant. She said, "Welcome to Pastoz!"

As she was putting her car in parking I asked, "What the hell is Pastoz?"

"It's an Italian restaurant dummy."

"You don't have to call me dummy."

"Sheesh, okay sorry." She had her eyes open very wide, and she rolled them as she was getting out of the car. This girl truly does need some manners.

We got out of her car, and she said, "Hey you all let's go shopping, and look around first."

Her friends, Katherine, and Katie who I met in the car said, "Yeah let's go."

Most of the time they giggled, which I had no idea why. We shopped, but I didn't want to buy anything I didn't feel like it. They did have of course a lot of cheap stuff. When we were heading out of a clothes store, I saw a car that looked exactly like Tom's car, but it couldn't be his, because there are a million cars that look like his, so it couldn't be his.

The lights in the sky were dimming, and we were all hungry well I was hungry, but I don't know about the other girls. Katelyn said something to her friends. I couldn't hear what she was telling them. Katherine and Katie said they had to go ahead of us, and eat. Katelyn told them they could go. They went, and then Katelyn told me, "Listen, I just remembered I have to go fill up my car with gas. So I'm going to go fill it up, and come back. You okay with that?"

I suddenly had fear in my gut. Me be here alone in Hampton town when I don't know crap about it? I don't know my way around it. "I'll just come with you." I told her.

"No. Just look around some more or just go to Pastoz. I'll be quick." She smiled, and walked ahead.

She was giggling when she was walking away, but I felt that she was up to something and her friends. She went the same way her friends went. Besides, we were deep in the city. So I had to find my way to the restaurant all by _myself_.

As I was walking all by myself on the street I turn my face around to see if anyone was behind me, and I see three guys. I heard one of them whistle at me. I started walking fast, but when I turned to see if they were following me they still were. I started walking faster I barely knew this area, and I knew I was going to get lost and then I went inside an alley and now I will be totally missing it was so dark. I turned around to see them, and they were still following me. I panicked. I started running deeper in the dark alley, and then the three guys started running too. When I came to the end of the alley it was a dead end. I tried to find a way out turning my head left and right, but there wasn't any other way except the way I came in. My heart was beating very fast, and my blood was running in my veins from the bottom of my foot to the top of my head. They ran up to me, and one of them took my right arm. They looked drunk, and smelled like liquor. I was struggling for my arm. The one that had my arm said, "Hey there pretty girl." My left arm was free so I slapped his right cheek. I was so frightened. Then he said, "You're going to regret that." He slapped me back, and it hurt so much. That was definitely going to be a bruise on my left cheek.

He swung my arm around very hard and fell me to the ground. I heard his belt being unbuckled. My eyes grew wide in fear. His two friends were just laughing. I started to scream out for help.

Before the guy could unbutton my pants, some one pushed him to the wall. I heard weird noises. They were like growls, and shrieks. They sounded very frightening. So I got up and ran for my life, because the guy, and the three guys started fighting and I didn't want to watch; see who was going to lose, and see who was going to win. So I was running, and when I came to get out of the alley Tom comes right in front of me, and tells me, "Its okay. You don't have to worry about them anymore. I took care of it. You don't have to run anymore."

I stood there for a minute trying to get myself together. Then I hugged him very tightly that I could feel his ice skin on my body so cold and glad that he was here, but I was still frightened. I didn't feel his arms wrap around me for awhile. Then, as I waited, he hugged me back. Then for a minute we stopped hugging each other, and he smelled good. He always had a nice scent on him. We didn't say anything. My eyes did not move, or look anywhere. My eyes were just staring straight at the road. We walked to his car, and it was the same car I mentioned that I saw earlier. It was parked where it was. He opened the door for me, and I got in still shocked and not saying anything. He got in too. He sat on the driver's seat. I sat on the passengers' seat. His car was freezing, and I was glad I was wearing the brown long sleeve shirt today. Then in a low voice I barely had my voice from all the screaming I said turning to see his face with my hands gripped together, "Thank you so…. so…. so…. so…. so much. I don't know how much to thank you." My eyes kind of had water in them.

"Hey don't put too much pressure on yourself." He turned and looked at me. Staring at my eyes.

"How did you get rid of them in a minute?" I had my eyes opening and closing slowly and my voice still low and staring at him back.

He said, "I just got rid of them. It's really easy."

"You are by yourself right?"

"Yeah."

"Weren't you going home?"

"I was, but since I sensed that Katelyn was up to something I invited myself to follow her."

"Yeah, me too. I sensed that she was up to something. Of course last minute later after she ditched me."

"Her, and her friends are leaving you here all by yourself."

"So it's true. They are ditching me."

"Yup, and you're safe now."

"_Safe_?! Oh I don't think I'm safe. I almost got raped…Or actually I almost got killed from her ditching me." My voice was kind of getting a little loud, but still not back to normal.

"Just be glad that you're safe."

"How can I?! I'm still scared. What if something happened to you, huh?! If you were dead, and I was alive everyone would put all the blame on me. It would've been better if I just died there. Why did you have to come and save me? Are you crazy!" I was pissed at him, and I was screaming again. Like seriously why did he follow Katelyn? And how could he save me? It was _three_ against _one_. That's impossible for one person to get rid of three men. And they were older than him too.

He didn't say anything. I was staring at his beautiful mixed colored eyes, and it looked like I hurt his feelings. So I said, "I'm sorry Tom. I shouldn't have said that…. but thank you for saving me."

"You should always appreciate. You're welcome…Wait!"

"What?"

"Is that a bruise on your cheek? Did that guy punch you?" Great, just what I needed. Now if my mom sees it she's going to freak out. So I pulled down the visor, and looked in the mirror. Then I said, "I guess it's a bruise, but he didn't punch me… He slapped me."

"That son of a bitch", he muttered.

I put my head down by letting my hair slide down on both sides of my face. I didn't want him to look at me. He put his hand under my chin, and lifted my face up so he could see better. His hand was very cold. I was staring straight into his eyes. He turned my face to the bruised side, and said, "Does it hurt?"

"A little." He took away his hand from my chin, and then I watched his hands grip on the steering wheel very hard. I said, "Its okay Tom. Remember I'm safe now?!"

"Yeah you're right." He was staring at the road, but I was staring at him. He calmed down. He said, "Well are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine, and again thanks for saving me."

"Don't mention it. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, but its okay I'll eat at home."

"But didn't you tell your mom you were going out to eat?"

"Crap. I forgot. I did…But how'd you know?" I asked with my brow raised up.

"As I said it's something you wouldn't understand. So where do you want to eat?"

"I don't know. Probably Pastoz?"

"Well Pastoz it is." He started the car engine, and I said, "Wait…What about my forming bruise? What if people think _you _slapped me?"

"Don't worry. For right now just cover it with your hair."

"Okay. Easy. I can do that."

As we came to park in front of Pastoz, there were only three cars parked. We got down, and went inside. The waitress walked us to a table, but Tom said he wanted a table where him and me were alone. She showed us where there was a table away from the other people, and asked what we would like to drink. I told her, "A diet coke."

Tom said, "Just water."

I'm glad she didn't notice the bruise, and I was glad it was kind of dim where we sat. She gave each of us a menu, and then she went away. Finally we were alone. I looked through the menu, and already chose what I wanted (which was spaghetti), but Tom did not even open his menu. So I said, "I never see you eat anything. Is something wrong with you? Are you shy to eat in front of people? Do you have a disease that you can't eat except at home, or are you going on a diet? If you're going on a diet to tell you this, you're skinny!"

He said (laughing very low that I could only hear him), "No dummy I' m not shy, I don't have a disease, neither am I on a diet. It's just something I don't want you to get involved with."

"Oh come on tell me, because it's really bothering me that you won't tell me. Do you have like a sixth sense or something or…Is it too personal? Or top secret?"

He stared at me like I was crazy. He said, "No I don't have a sixth sense or any of that crap. But you got the second question right."

"Now I'm having second thoughts that maybe I shouldn't get involved in something I shouldn't."

"Trust me you don't want to. Besides…." Before he could finish, the waitress came. She gave us our drinks, and took our order. I told her what I wanted, but Tom said he didn't want anything. She was gone then. I told him, "As you were saying. Besides what?"

He said, "Besides you might get disgusted, or you don't want to be my friend anymore, or be afraid of me, and I don't want that to happen and most importantly I don't want you to get involved, because it's kind of dangerous."

"Oh c'mon. If you tell me I will always still be your friend, and I will keep it a secret. I promise…. And how dangerous could it be?! Wait a minute, I thought you said you didn't want to be friends."

I was thirsty so I started to drink my diet coke. Then Tom said in low voice (while I was drinking), "I guess I'm having seconds thoughts about being friends as well...The truth...I'm a _vampire._"

I spitted my drink, and started coughing. Of course, we were alone so no one heard. He gave me his water that he ordered, and I started drinking the whole thing. I cleaned up where I spitted. I couldn't believe what he just said. I said (while clearing my throat, which was a little bit better), "You're a what? A vampire?" I was still coughing, and speaking in a low voice.

He said, "Yes I am. That's why I'm always cold, and read people's mind, and know what people would be thinking about. That's how I know you didn't tell your mom that I'm cold, and I knew that Katelyn ditched you."

I was still coughing, and trying to get a grip on myself. I was surprised all of this happened in one day. First Katelyn ditched me, second I almost got raped and killed, and third now I know Tom's top secret. I said, "And you read minds. Well is thaqt brilliant...Okay to tell you the truth I am freaked out a little, and shocked…. But if you think I'm going to tell anyone to tell you this I'm not. As I said I'll keep it a secret"

He looked at me like he was studying me. I never knew he'd look so cute. "There is a reason why I chose to tell you."

I looked at him questioningly looking at him from one side of my face. "And how do you know you could trust me this much?"

"Another thing I have. I can sense your aura. And it's pure."

"Oh. My aura." I said shocked. "What...what about the others? Your siblings?"

"Vampires as well, and they can sense auras too."

Have you ever told anyone else your secret...like someone else human?"

"No only you." He looked calm as if he finally got something off of his chest, but as I was staring into his eyes as usual he looked frightened. The waitress came with my food (at last), and then went away. When he told me his biggest secret, and that he didn't tell anyone 'human', this made me special. I said, "Wow that's…cool. Now I have questions to ask you though. Would you mind if I ask you?"

He said, "I already know what you're going to ask me. They're all 'vampire' stuff."

"How'd you know?"

"I can read part of your mind hello."

I need to find a way to block him out of my mind. Seriously. "Oh sorry I forgot. Well can I ask you?"

"Go ahead." He said as if he were bored.

"Okay…Is it true that you vampires suck human blood?"

"Yes. We have no reason to exist if we didn't. We also drink animal blood. And that's what my family and I do to sustain our hunger. Hunters and trackers though usually crave for human."

"Ya'll have hunters and trackers?"

"Yes. Next question."

"Okay. Is it true that you vampires can only come out at night?"

He looked at me with a raised brow. "No. we can come out during the day as long as the sun is not strong, because if it was it would bother us, but not burn us."

"Oh. What about the Cross, and the garlic?"

"Fake. Won't do us any harm."

"Do you sleep in…coffins?"

"Ha ha ha. No we _never ever_ sleep!"

"Oh. Okay. See! That wasn't so hard for me to understand now was it?!"

"Well I wouldn't say that you weren't going to understand I was just worried, but you did freak out remember?!"

"Yeah I did. Okay umm…. What powers do you exactly have? How can you read people's minds?"

"Okay I have the reading mind power. The only one that does. We have a hearing sensor, we run faster than a bullet, and we jump higher than a monkey. We are ten times stronger than steel. Although what bothers me most is everyone in my family we can read each other's thoughts, which sometimes is embarrassing, humiliating, and disturbing. We can also read other people's auras. Okay. Any other questions?"

I said, "Yeah umm…. just one more. If you were in love with a human girl, is it okay?"

"Yes it's okay. We don't have laws or rules about it, but it's dangerous, so I guess you can count that as a law."

"Ah."

I guess we were _best_ friends now since I know his hugest secret (and believe that is a huge secret). I ate my food, and drank my drink. I wanted to pay for my food, but Tom paid it instead. We headed for the car, and got in. Wow, Katelyn, and her 'girlfriends' sure did ditch me. It was nine-thirty p.m. I still had some questions in my mind, but I didn't want to be rude. He said, "It's okay ask me questions if you have any, but don't lie, because I know you have questions in your mind"

"Can you always read my mind?"

"No. Inside your head you have a public mind and a private mind. The public mind I can get in, but the private I can't. Somehow you put a blockade up, and you're the only one that does that out of everyone in the world I've come across."

"Wow." Glad no one can get in my own little private mind.

"Go ahead ask!"

"No. I don't want to be rude."

"It's okay. Go ahead."

"I know I asked this before, but why don't you just choose _any_ girl?"

He chuckled. "It's not easy. I just can't pick out of the blue. I'm trying to find the right one so me, and her would be living together forever…and I do mean _forever._"

"But Tom there are a lot of girls that probably maybe your type."

"No there isn't. Most of the girls that come to me are just…not pretty enough, and they're just not what I'm looking for."

"You know, it's not about looks you know..."

"I'm not talking about looks."

"Okay then if not looks, then what?"

"Honestly?" he asked.

"No duh Mr. Fang. Yes I want the truth."

"Her amazing personality." And he looked at me with a look so serious.

I sat there quiet.

"About the hunters…." I started.

My phone started ringing. I took it out to see who it was, and it was my mom. I flipped open my phone, and said, "Hello…. Oh hi mom….yeah I'm fine….yeah I'm on my way home right now…. Don't worry I'll come before he does. Besides you know he won't care where I've been…. Alright I'll hurry if you want me to…. Okay bye….love you too!" I shut the phone, and asked Tom, "Could you go any faster?"

He said, "Yeah. Just finish what you were saying."

"Okay. The hunters do they look like you, and… your family?"

"Well we all vampires do have fangs, venom and long nails when we form, but my family we have two fangs. Two from the front has venom in it, and the two that are behind it have no venom, but the hunters and trackers have only venom. And when we form into a human we look very different, _and_ when we form into a vampire."

"Oh."

"Why?" He said with a confused expression on his face.

"Well I saw someone in the forest in my backyard. You see, I was outside in my backyard, and I was walking inside the forest, but I wasn't going in that deep, and besides I love nature. Anyways, I see something running in front of me, and then I ran behind him!"

"Wait….Him?" he said with his right brow going up.

"Yup, but let me finish. And when I was walking back to my house the guy just came in front of me. For like five seconds. He had hair that was a very black color with very black eyes, and long short hair."

"Jackson!"

"You know him?"

"Yeah. He's one of the trackers. Just be glad you're alive!"

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing. Just be glad."

I stared at him with fright in my eyes, and he was getting mad. He was clutching on the steering wheel real hard again as if he was going to break it. I told him, "It's alright. I'm fine nothing happened to me."

He said, "So he didn't touch you?"

"No he didn't! And if he did I would've told you so you won't be worried."

I looked at him, and he started to relax. I said, "Well now I'll shut up, because I don't have any questions anymore."

He said, "Yeah you sure don't. I can think of that in your mind."

We laughed. Then he said, "Just promise me one thing. Please do not go into that forest again!"

I said, "Okay promise, but I love nature!"

"Well do you want to live or die?"

"I think I'll go with living."

He drove me to my house, and there was ten minutes before Jack could come home. I said, "Well I guess I'm home. Oh wait I forgot to tell you. Yesterday my window was closed before I went to eat, but after I finished eating, and went back upstairs, I found it open. Did you go in my room?"

He said, "No."

"Well do you know who?"

"Listen each vampire has a smell. I could go up to your room, and smell the scent to tell you who was in your room, but I can't let your mom see me go in."

"Yeah that's true. Well try to think of a way to come up to my room. Okay."

I got down, and he went to hide his car somewhere. I went inside the house, and mom asked, "So how was your first day out with your new friends?"

I told her, "They're not really friends to me mom, but it was good while it lasted. Katelyn left me, because she had to go to her house for an emergency. So I guess she forgot about me!"

"Oh my God. What kind of person would just leave you stranded! Honey, why didn't you just call me to pick you up?" She had a worried expression on her face.

"Just forgot?" I shrugged.

I just remembered I left my car at the parking lot in school. She said, "So who picked you up then?"

I said, "Tom."

"Get out of here?!"

"No seriously he did!"

"And?"

"And mom?" I was wondering what was on her mind.

"Well didn't you tell him you...?"

"No mom I didn't. I don't want him to run away the first day we become best friends. Besides I don't think I'm his type."

"Oh so it's bad huh?"

"Yup. Anyways I'm going to go to sleep."

"Wait!" I felt my blood running to my cheeks, and making them red. She walked to me before I could go up to my room, and she saw my bruised cheek. She said, "Honey…What happened to you?" She was touching it. I said, "It's nothing."

"No Rose. It is something. What happened? Tell me right now! Did someone hit you? Did you have a fight with Katelyn? Did Tom hit you?" She was getting scared, and mad.

I said very fast before things get too far, "No mom. Katelyn and I didn't get into a fight, and Tom would never hit me, he's a sweet guy. Besides…I tripped...on a rock." I was staring at her eyes so she wouldn't know I'm lying to her.

"And how did you trip?"

"_Humph_. I didn't watch where I was going. I was rushing, then my foot hit a rock, and when I fell my cheek hit another rock, but not that hard." I hope she believes in _this_ story.

"Oh baby. Do you need some ice for it?"

"No it's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Well if it makes you feel any better I'll get some ice."

"You want me to get it?"

I headed for the freezer, and said, "No mom, its okay I got it."

"Alright. Try to be careful next time sweetie. Try to watch where you're rushing alright?"

"Okay mom. Good night" I said, as I was putting the ice in a cloth, and going upstairs.

"Good night."

I went upstairs, rushing. I opened my door, and I found Tom sitting on my bed. I asked him, "Well do you know the scent?"

He said, "Yeah...Hey… umm…. I heard you, and your mom talking about…."

"Yeah well you weren't supposed to hear that." I started to blush. I said, "Anyways, who was in my room?"

He said, "Jackson. The same guy you saw in the forest."

"How many hunters and trackers are exactly out there?"

"There are seven in total, and they all have the same powers as us. In my family, we're nine. If you want to meet my family come to my table during lunch. Though only two won't be there who are older than us, and they are Carl and Rebecca."

"Oh okay don't worry I'll come, and tomorrow I need to also take care of business."

"Okay just don't get in trouble."

"Oh don't worry I won't."

"I got to go before your dad comes."

"Aww. Don't go, like he would care if you were in my room."

"Your mom will. Besides I need to go, they're calling me."

"Alright then. See you tomorrow."

He's not much of a person for goodbyes, is he?

"Oh Tom wait."

He turned around to look at me before jumping out my window.

"I'm going to need a ride tomorrow."

He smiled. "I'll be your chauffer tomorrow."

He was gone. I closed the window behind him. I sat on the bed, and started thinking about him (yes I have had feelings for him since the first day I saw him). I was deeply in love with him, but I wonder if he had feelings for me? Ohh well….then I started getting scared about what Tom told me earlier about the guy 'Jackson' that he was the one in my room. I thought it was going to be Tom that was in my room, but turned out it wasn't him.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three:_

"**Drama"**

The next day I woke up, and did the same thing as usual.

When I was about to go down the stairs my eye caught Tom waiting for me outside to being my ride for school. I almost forgot about that.

Teresa, Angela, and Mathew were waiting for me. I saw Katelyn's car. I couldn't see her from where Tom parked though, because he parked right by my car. I found her (my heart was beating really fast, and I felt my blood rising up to my cheeks, making them very bloody red), and Tom, Teresa, Angela, and Mathew followed me. I walked up to her, twirling her around from grabbing her arm, and said, "Hey. Why did you ditch me yesterday?" Well I knew why. I just wanted to hear it from her.

She jerked her arm from my grasp. She said, "Because of yesterday. The way you said Tom wasn't interested in me was unacceptable to me."

"Well that's what he said. Like what do you want me to say? That he doesn't want you?"

"Yeah you should've said it that way."

"Well soorrry, but what difference does it make?"

"You bitch. It makes a difference."

"And I don't care you tramp!"

Then Teresa came in saying, "No one calls my best friend a bitch okay. Whoever the bitch is is you!" She was mad.

Then her friends came in then Angela butted in. Shouting at each other, and calling names.

"I ended up having a bruise from you, and on top of that I almost got raped." I gave her a mean look. My eyes had hate and anger in them, and I gave her an attitude. I had my purse up to my shoulder hanging to my side, and I was ready to drop it in any minute now. She said with a nasty tone, "Ugh I wish you did end up getting raped."

I felt bitch-slapped in that moment realizing just how far Katelyn would go with her words. I threw my purse down. But before I could slap her face Tom came in front of me, and gripped my lifted hand. I said, "Move Tom, and let go!"

He said, "It's not worth it."

"I said move."

"No. You're not going to get in trouble."

"I already _am_ in trouble." I shouted. "I can't let her get away with this."

He whispered, _"Not yet!" _I shivered by the way he said it. He said, _"Please! For me?"_ I eased myself down, and breathed deeply trying to calm my nerves down.

I sighed deep with eyes closed. I had to calm down.

_ "Thank you"_ He smiled. Then he moved aside. He let go of my hand by putting my hand down.

A lot of people came to watch; they surrounded us. Then Tom came in again and said, "Listen Katelyn. You better leave Rose, me, and her friends alone!"

She said, "Sorry. Can't do that!"

He sighed. "Why can't you?"

She said, "It's just I can't, but there's only one way I only will." She was acting all nice to him, and trying to use her smoothest voice. It made me sick, and it made me want to puke.

He asked, "Okay then what is it? What is it that you want to leave Rose, me, and her friends alone?" I had a feeling he read her mind already, and knew what the answer was.

"Easy. You. I want you to go out with me. If you do I'll stop bothering Rose, her friends and…. maybe you!" She teased.

My heart dropped. I didn't want to stay to hear what he was going to say, but I had to. He said, "Fine… I'll go out with you."

Everyone went quiet. His whole body was in Katelyn's direction. I had to turn him around so I could talk to him, and look into his face. I said in a soothing, calmed voice and looking into his sorrow, beautiful eyes, "Tom its okay you don't have to tell her not to bother me, you, and my friends. I can handle the bullying."

Tom said, "No. I don't want things to get out of hand." He stared at me with sorry eyes, and I stared back at him with forgiving, hurtful ones. This totally broke my heart. Then Katelyn (all happy, and me all lumpy) said, "It's all settled then. Here's my phone number. Call me so you could assign us a date."

He sighed so so very deep. I can sense the dislike radiating off him.

She said, "Okay. I'll see you later. I need to go, and say goodbye to my now ex-boyfriend, and tell everyone that were going out now."

He just walked away.

I could not believe his butt for what he just decided. As she walked away, I followed him, and pinched him (which of course he couldn't feel). I told him, "Are you crazy? Do you know what you just did? You've just made a deal with the devil!"

He started to laugh. He said, "Don't worry."

I said, "Don't worry?!"

"It's not like I'm going to assign us a date, and go out."

"Wait, you're not…."

"I'm saying she's going to make a fool out of herself. I'm not going out with her. I just told her so she can leave you, me, and your friends alone."

"So all of this is just for yesterday?"

"Yes. Because of yesterday."

"You're smart."

"That's how I've passed each and every high school in every country of every language."

Confused, I had to think a bit about what he said. Damn he must be old. "But Tom..."

Then he came down to my ear, and whispered something. He said, "_I sense someone really angry right now, and is coming this way._" I had a tickly sensation, and I shivered by his calm, soothing voice.

Not the bit surprised, but stunned at how fast word can go around. I whispered back more to myself, _"Her boyfriend!"_ My eyes were staring straight into the road. We weren't even in the school building yet, and drama already.

He turned around, and stood up to defend himself. Of course he looked calm, but I wasn't going to let him handle this one. I was. It was my turn to defend him. I went in front of Tom to protect him. But he said, "Move Rose. This is between me and him."

"No."

"Rose please move. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Well you don't want anyone or you to get hurt either. It's not worth it, just like you said. So I'm defending you now just as you defended me."

He laughed, and said, "Wow. You sure do catch up with things I say, but I hope you won't do the same mistake as I did."

"Oh don't worry." I smiled.

Katelyn, her boyfriend, and his friends came. Her boyfriend's name is Mitchell, and he said, "You've gone the wrong way dude, and now you're going to pay for it."

He's a jock; a football player. He was built up, and looked shorter than Tom from faraway, but when he came close in front of me he was taller than Tom in two inches. I asked him, "Do you even know what happened?" I gulped down my own saliva.

Mitchell said, "Yeah Katelyn told me. Who are you?" His expression was annoyed, and angry.

"Oh my name is Rose, and you must be Mitchell…. oh and I'm new here."

"Whatever. I know what happened. Katelyn just told me that this guy just went up to her, and asked her out."

I asked, "That's what she said?"

"Yeah. Why is it a different story?" He looked so angry, and Tom looked calm, and patient. Mitchell looked like he wanted to attack me, but Tom was behind me, and I felt that Tom was going to attack Mitchell if Mitchell attacked me. Believe me I didn't want that to happen, and neither did Tom. Tom's family was totally right beside his side watching, and it looked like they were listening to this guy's thoughts. I was of course standing between Tom and Mitchell, but my face was towards Mitchell, not Toms. He was built as I mentioned before, and he was a gold haired boy with very brown eyes. His skin color was very tanned (guessing too burnt from the sun). His eyebrows were thick, but decent. His eyes were wide open with anger.

I said with a confused expression, "Uh yeah like the opposite. Okay you know what I'm just going to tell you the truth so it won't get too far." I still didn't move from my place. I stayed frozen, and Tom stayed frozen too. I said, "Okay, here's what happened. Your so- called 'girlfriend' yesterday told me to convince Tom to go out with her. I asked her questions if she ever asked him. She said yeah. So after that I asked Tom he said he wasn't interested. Then I went to tell her that he said he wasn't interested. So she got really mad, took me out to eat, and ditched me. I almost got raped last night, because of her ditching me, and I got slapped on the face as you can see. And so today I came up to her to settle this for good, and then everyone butted in as you can see. And Tom told her to leave us alone. She said she couldn't, but there's only one way she could, and that was if Tom goes out with her. So he agreed so she could leave us alone. And I guess you don't look too happy…. If you don't believe me I do have witnesses!" I moved my arms to the left by aiming, and showing him who my witnesses were, but I still didn't move from my place. So then he said, "Oh don't worry I believe you."

He looked so pissed off. Even Katelyn looked nervous, and scared. Mitchell looked at Katelyn, and told her, "Is this true? Did you lie to me?"

She said with fake tears in her eyes, "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you don't care about me so I dumped you for him…for a change!"

Mitchell said, "You're such a bitch, and you know that."

Ouch. Bet that hurt. She stared at us with wild, hateful eyes, especially me. The principal was coming, and everyone started running to class. Me, I just stood where I was frozen, and Tom was still behind me, and he wouldn't move either. Tom said (as I turned around to face him), "Thanks for standing up for me, but I think I would've handled it you know."

I said, "Yeah I know, but now we're even…. It's just you're my best friend now. Besides, that's what friends are for!"

"Yeah... And I guess we are even now."

Before the principal could come, and take us to the office, I asked Tom, "Look, even if you go out with her, you're not going to do anything stupid with her are you?"

He said, "Hell no. Definitely not. Besides I can sense that we're not going to stay together for long. If it ever comes to that."

"Right. You're the '_Vampire'._" I whispered, and giggled.

He smiled wide like it was an inside joke.

The principal came, and took us to her office (her name is Ms. Winchell). She wanted to know what happened, and who else were involved, but me, and Tom didn't say our friends' names. So she called our parents, and told Tom and I had to go home, because we were suspended for the day, and tomorrow, and I have been in this school for how many days? Two days. Wow, and I already got in trouble. I'm really surprised.

I went to my car, and Tom was behind me saying, "You want to meet my family before you go home? Just for five minutes."

I said, "Yeah. Okay. Well I'd love to meet Carl and Rebecca."

"No not just Carl and Rebecca. I mean my_ whole family_!" I shivered. I was going to meet the whole family, which meant _eight Vampires_ to meet (plus Tom that's nine)_._ I shuddered, and tried to gulp down hard, but I couldn't. This thought frightened me. Then I said, "Oh. But don't the others have school? How are they going to come when they have classes?"

"Well in our heads we call each other, so that's how they're going to be home. Besides they're already waiting."

"Already? ... Well okay…. let's go!"

"Um you can come in my car if you want to."

"No it's okay. I'll take mines."

He already started the engine of his car, and I was still getting in my car. Suddenly we were on the road. In ten minutes we were at his house. It was enormous. His house was white, and black from the outside. It was like a mansion. He had probably three stories. I said, "Dang. Are you rich?"

He said, "Yeah. Well Carl is a doctor, and Rebecca is a teacher."

"Oh. Carl helps…. humans?"

"Yup." He said with a P pop at the end.

"And Rebecca teaches…. humans?"

"Yup." He said with a P pop at the end again.

"Okay well let's go in; get this over with, so we won't lose time." I was very nervous, and scared. My heart was beating ridiculously and my breathing was not helping me at all. He said, "Don't worry. They won't bite."

"Will you stop making it worse already? I'm very unstable right now."

He chuckled under his breath.

I took a deep breath.

He opened the door for me, and I walked in. Their house inside was even huger than outside. It was beautiful (but it was freaking cold). Everything they had was black, and white. Even their cars that they had were black, and white (each one of them had their own car. How cool!). Their tile on the ground was even black and white. There was a guitar stack that was also black, and white. I asked, "Whose guitar stack is that for?" as we were walking through a door that leaded us to the living room where Carl and Rebecca were waiting.

Tom said, "Me."

"Oh. Nice."

We headed to the couch to sit down. Then Carl (I assume) called on everyone to come down. They all came down in a flash. I asked Tom, "They know that I know?"

He said, "Yeah, and I told them to be nice."

I stared at him at him with scared eyes. He said, "Joking."

Then I looked away from him staring, and concentrating on the others beautiful faces. Carl said, "Hi, I'm Carl, this is Rebecca my lovely wife, and this is Bill, Martin, Justin, Jessica, Alice, and Evy."

I said, "Wow. Big family. Well my name is –"

Carl cut me off saying, "Rose. We all know."

I smiled wide, blushing.

Carl said, "So, you both got in trouble huh?"

I said, "Well yes we did, and I'm sorry if I got Tom in trouble, but something would've happened to me yesterday if not for him. Besides Tom was the one to butt in which I didn't want him to."

Carl said, "Its okay. We all know what happened to you, and what Tom did. Besides sometimes we do need to get in to protect the humans that get involve in our life."

"Yeah well I guess you know human life. Especially girls you know. When it comes to crime, they need help." I spoke sarcastically while smiling and chuckling, trying to sound calm.

Gladly, they laughed. All the teenagers then went back to school, except for Tom. Carl said, "I've heard that Tom is now going out with a girl?"

I said, "Yes. This whole thing was actually just about him."

Carl said, "Oh. He can be quite an eye-catcher. Something he can't help with. I guess you must be running late."

"Oh yeah I'm so clumsy I forgot about the time. Well okay it was nice meeting you all and you both have such a beautiful home."

"It was nice meeting you too. And thank you. By the way, you don't have to be afraid of us. Don't worry. We won't harm you. We're harmless." He got up and shakes my hand goodbye.

Tom opened the door, and walked with me to my car. I said, "Wow. Your family is really nice."

"Told you they won't bite."

"So you're not really going out with her?"

"No I won't. Don't worry. I won't. I promise."

I can't believe I was worried, and feeling jealous. "Okay. I believe you, and you promised. Well I guess I'll go now."

He opened my car door for me.

I got in, started the engine, and was on the road.

I came home, and told mom before she could say anything, "I was a little bit late, because I had to do something in school before I left."

She said, "Okay that's alright sweetie, but is there something else you want to tell me?"

"Like what?"

"Why you got into a fight with that girl Katelyn?"

I took a deep breath as if I was bored of saying the same old story all over again. In the end, I told her everything.

"That's it?"

"Yup."

"So it's self defense then?" She looked curious.

"Yes mom like what else would it be, and I'm sorry I lied to you yesterday."

"It's okay. Well I guess you are not grounded, neither am I going to tell your father, but be careful next time. You are the only daughter I have. Okay?"

"Okay. Promise you mom, I'll be careful next time."

"Alright. Now give your mom a kiss."

I gave her a kiss on the cheek, and went upstairs. I open my door room, and find Tom sitting on my bed. I closed my room door, shocked that he was here. "Hey," I told him accusingly. "Why are you here?"

He shrugged. "Too boring at home."

"I've only been gone twenty minutes from your place, and you're already bored? Shouldn't you be studying?" I went to sit beside him.

"I'd rather study you. You have no idea how interesting you are."

I blushed deep red. I decided to change the topic. I asked him after a while, "You heard everything huh?"

He said, "Yup."

"I'm bored of repeating the same story all over again. I wish you talked."

He laughed saying, "You're the one that didn't let me talk at all."

"Yeah I know. Which was stupid of me to do, but I had to."

"So what do you want to do today?"

"What do you mean what do I want to do today? Aren't you grounded?"

"No, no one grounds me. Carl and Rebecca love me as I'm their real son. So I'm free to do what I want to do. And I know you're not grounded."

"Hmm. Well then I don't know. I guess we could go to the movies. How about it?"

"Well I did say what do you want to do today."

"Oh. So that's a yes. Okay what time?"

"I guess at seven. There's a scary movie, and I know you love scary movies."

"Yes I do love scary movies. Seven it is, and the movie too, whatever it is."

"Okay so what do you want to do now?"

"Well let's talk first since there's nothing else to do in the moment."

We talked the whole morning which was fun and now it was three o'clock. I asked him, "If I had a fresh cut, and blood came out you can attack me right?"

He said, "Yes, but I can resist myself from attacking you for only a little while."

"If any one of you bit me...can I form?"

"Yes only if that bite had venom in it. In three days you'd be formed, but once your bitten you start to get sick. You start to have the highest fever ever, you'll be in pain, your whole body would start to shake from how much high your fever would be, and when you're going through all of that you'd be wishing you were dead."

"You guys bite on the neck?"

"Yes, but we can bite anywhere else besides the neck that has a thick vein. The hunters and trackers love the neck though since it's the juiciest."

"Ok just creepy. I don't even want to imagine them biting my neck."

"Don't worry I won't let them."

"I'm sure they won't get anywhere near me. Wow, it's past three already, and we're still talking."

"Being with you I barely notice it."

Damn. What the hell do his words mean? I keep feeling jittery, and my cheeks turn beet red. "If sunlight doesn't kill you, or garlic cloves or the cross then what does?"

"We can die if we attack each other, and that's if our attack gets very serious, but that will never happen, and we could get killed by the hunters and trackers. We start to fight very wildly, and very dangerous that you don't want to see it. It's something I would never let you see."

"What if you had a broken heart?"

"Well yeah we could get close to killing ourselves, that's if we truly loved the person we loved so much."

"How can you do that?"

"You don't want to know…. It's actually...a bit... complicated." He had a mysterious look on his face.

"O….Kay. Can you cry?"

"No. How hard we try we can never."

"Since you can read other people's mind, what's on Katelyn is mind right now?"

"I can't read minds only unless they were near me or connected in some way. So to answer that question I have no idea what's on her mind."

"I see."

We had a real good talk today. I've learned so much about real life vampires.

It was five o'clock, and I said, "Well, I've got to call Teresa, and let her know what happened."

"Okay," he said.

Tom was out of my window, and I started calling Teresa. I told her everything what happened after she left arguing with Katelyn. She is always interested into hearing my stories. I even told her about Tom taking me to watch a movie. She wanted to hear all about it the next day.

It was five thirty, which meant I had to get ready. I didn't know what to wear. I wanted to wear something pretty. I had to make a mess in my closet just to wear something decent.

I got ready, and finished doing everything by five forty that's like ten minutes. I called Tom, and he said that he was coming. I went downstairs, and told mom that I was going to the movies. She didn't say no.

Then my ride came, and mom reminded me to come before ten, telling me to have fun. I walked out of the door, and into Tom's car. I sat in front, and well I guess he knew where to go.

Suddenly he said, "I invited Katelyn."

I looked at him in utter shock. I thought he promised, didn't he? I said, "Why the hell did you invite her for?" I felt disappointed.

"She somehow managed to get my number. Asked me my plans for tonight, and wanted to come with us. I told her it's not a date, it's an invitation."

"But didn't you say you were going to get her _bored_, and not go out with her?"

"Yes I did. But it's not a date, it's an invitation."

I sighed. "Fine. But if she opens her mouth I'm out of there…. and I'll walk home."

"Don't worry." He said with a smirk on his face.

"I'm not worried." I was so pissed that I couldn't look at him. Honestly, I don't see how I can trust him. Yes he saved my life. Yes he confessed his secret to me. Yes he introduced me to his family. But I didn't know him as a person yet. I only knew him from the outside. I don't understand why I'm being jealous and mad at him...

I stared at the road ahead. We picked up Katelyn. When she came by my door, she was smiling wide, and waiting on me to take the hint that I had to sit in the back, to give her the passenger seat. "Ugh," I said looking at Tom with my mean eyes. I decided not to argue, and instead just give her the seat. Tom sighed deeply.

We went to the movies, bought tickets, candy, drinks, popcorn, and watched a classic horror. I love horror movies.

Tom sat between me, and Katelyn. I saw she tried to hold Tom's hand, but Tom didn't accept it.

After the movie finished, we came out of the cinema. We got in his car, and he took us home. I had to sit in the backseat again. He drove Katelyn home first. Katelyn wanted a kiss from him, and I didn't want to look. I stared outside the window from my side, and I hear Tom telling her that he doesn't kiss girls that ditch other people, and force guys to go out with them. She got so mad.

Tom and I were left.

I sat beside him in the passenger seat after she was gone. It was nine-thirty already. We haven't spoken a word. Well, I didn't want to talk. I felt mad at him. He tried to enlighten the mood though.

I started to talk then asking him, "When you're around a human, and you're a vampire, do you feel like you're human?"

He said, "Sometimes. It depends on the person that I hang out with."

"Ah I see."

"Did you have fun today?"

I gave him the same look I gave him earlier. "If only you hadn't invited her, maybe I would've."

"So I guess you haven't. Okay well, I'll make it up to you."

Not another word spoken, he sent me home.

After stopping in front of my house, I said, "See you at school."

He didn't respond which was fine with me.

I had way too many feelings for him, I know. I had feelings that I cannot describe to anyone – not even me. It was weird. More like I've never felt this way about anyone before. I felt somewhat hurt from him after tonight though.

I was home right before time.

My mom was asleep since I didn't find her downstairs. I went upstairs, changed into my pajamas, and went to bed. I went to sleep, and started dreaming that I was with Tom. Just him and I at the movies. How it impossibly would've turned out with a passionate kiss at the end of the day.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four:_

"**Finally"**

Six months past, and it was February. Valentine's day was just around the corner. I have been waiting forever for Tom to make his move. Katelyn, and Tom didn't even last four days. She got too bored I should say. He kept his word in the end, but I don't understand why I'm waiting on him to make a move. It's like a dream not to come true.

Me, and my other friends all became close especially Teresa, Tom, and Evy. I'm glad I got to know him a bit more better over the course of months. And he didn't seem like such a bad guy. More like very sweet.

Teresa and I were talking during lunch. Since Tom, and his crew don't have any other human friends except for me, and didn't want other humans to be involved in their life, I had to make a part time at Teresa's table, and at Tom's table. Which literally sucked.

I looked smug, and Teresa noticed. "Hey what's gotten you down?"

I sighed, and looked at her from my water bottle saying, "I've been waiting forever for Tom to make his first move on me."

She said, "That's whats bothering you? It shouldn't even be surprising. He never asks anyone out anyway."

"I know that. But it's just...I don't know. I'm just hopeful since him and I are close."

"Hmmm. Then maybe just wait a bit more. If he doesn't make a move, believe me there are other fish in the sea that would love to go out with an Arizona girl." She smiled.

I sighed in gloom. "I guess." But the thing is I didn't want to go out with anyone else. Only him.

I cannot believe I have kept Tom's secret for all these months. I asked Tom (when I finished my half-time at Teresa's table), "So, any plans for Valentines Day?"

He said, "Not really. You?"

"Me neither."

So much for having my hopes up. I don't see why I should anymore.

Tom sometimes had to go hunt for food. I never got disgusted…. Well okay I did a couple of times, but he did have to eat, and not starve to death.

After Tom, and Katelyn broke up she stopped stalking me, and my friends. She went back to her ex, Mitchell (and I can't even believe he agreed to take her back. I'm guessing free pass), but somehow I sense that our little argument wasn't over yet, and she's waiting till the right time comes.

I was passing all my classes, and mom was happy. She gives me money, or buys me a present when I pass an exam, or test, or get good grades on my progress report card. I know she treats me like a little girl, but I am her only stepdaughter, and little Joey is her only son. So why not spoil me? It's okay with me as long as it's not in public.

Every time I talk with my mom alone, I would not know that Tom is in my house until when I go upstairs. I find him waiting for me in my room, telling me he hears everything, and believe me sometimes I don't want him to hear what my mom and I would talk about.

I did meet his family a couple of times. I liked Evy the most. She is like a little rock princess. She's inviting, welcoming (like Rebecca), sweet, sometimes annoying (no offence), loves to party a lot, friendly, and always tells me that I'm perfect for Tom, but I tell her I'm not his type. I'm sure I'm not.

Tom and his crew don't talk to humans unless they need to, but Carl, since he's a doctor he has to talk to humans, which of course he doesn't mind at all. He told me once it's quite fascinating to study the human.

Ever since I told Tom about that guy, 'Jackson' that came in my room the first night, I never saw him again. But whenever I went to sleep I would always feel that someone was watching me the whole time, like to check if I was okay. It was a weird feeling.

My life totally changed ever since I moved here. Jack was making better money, and his job as an engineer was going great, but I did not care about him, because he does not care about me. We barely even talk to each other. So what the hell.

Twelve days passed, and there was one day left for Valentines Day. It was Saturday the thirteenth. Today was the most boring day ever, because well first of all Tom had to go hunt. Second of all mom took little Joey with her to go shopping, and then visit a friend after shopping. Third, Teresa, Angela, and Julie are planning to buy something for their boyfriends, and lastly I was staying at home not doing anything. Besides we have school off for four days, because of Valentines Day, and I was already getting bored.

Jack was always at work so I could do whatever I want. I never see him a lot anymore, only sometimes in the morning when I'm going to school. I never talk to him. Not even tell him good morning.

So I went to my room, and changed into something besides my pajamas. I took my books to study, and do my homework went back downstairs, and went outside in our backyard. We had a little table with four chairs, but I did not feel like sitting on a chair. Instead I wanted to sit on the grass. I took an afghan from inside, and put it on top of the green, breezy grass. I sat on it, and started doing my homework. I never get bored sitting outside, because I love to look at nature, and be in it. It made me think. I was not far from my backyard door, but I was far from the forest. I wanted to walk in there again, but I promised Tom I wouldn't. And I'm keeping that promise.

As I was trying to think about the answer for a math problem, something comes beside me. I felt the air breeze come very fast. All my hair was hanging on my left side. So I turn to the left, and I find Jackson. I got up so fast, and went to get inside the house, but Jackson came in front of me blocking my way. I said, "Could you just leave me alone"

He said with a teasing smile, "I don't think that's possible."

"Why? Why can't you leave me alone?"

"Your blood is very rich, and pure. It's hard not to pass up on something like that. Besides you're involved in Tom's life."

"And, so what I can't be involved in his life?"

"No you can not. Now you are in danger. One day you'll see what's going to happen to you, and it will drive them crazy."

I gulped. "You know what if you wanna kill me, I'm right here. Why don't you do it now?"

He chuckled mischievously. "It's better to play with the fire first."

I was creeped out. He wants to play with the fire? I didn't understand what he meant. "Sorry, but I don't hang around with strangers that are trying to kill me."

Then he stopped talking, he looked like he was sensing that someone is either telling him something, or someone is coming. He said, "He's coming." Then he was gone back into the forest. I took my stuff, and went inside the house. I locked it behind me. I looked back outside through the screen glass door that I came in, but no one was there. I turned to sit down on the ground, and put my back on the glass door, but then I find Tom behind me. I jumped. I said, "Tom you scared me."

He said, "Don't worry. I told Bill, Martin, and Justin to drag him out of here. Listen did he touch you or anything?"

"No I'm fine."

"Well don't worry then I won't let him come near you again."

"How can you even do that?"

"Easy. Eyes on you twenty-four seven."

"You're going to watch over me?"

"Yup."

"Tom I'm not a kid. It's not like I can't take care of myself."

"It's not about being a kid. He's someone...something you can't go against Rose."

I definitely understood what he talked about. I hugged him, and he hugged me. Glad to be alive. I told him, "God can't you be warm just one time."

He said, "Nope."

"Well anyways how was lunch? And what did you eat?"

"Lunch was good. I ate a buffalo."

"Okay changing subject."

"Ha ha. You look like you got disgusted."

"I did."

"It's okay I still like you."

"Yeah I can see that. Proof enough that you're still around me."

He chuckled. "So what do you want to do?"

"Oh I don't know. Let me call my mom first, and see where's she at."

I dialed her number, and she answered. I said, "Hey mom hi. Um where are you? ... You're done with shopping. Okay where are you going right now? ... Your friend's house…. No every thing's fine. I just wanted to make sure where you are, and to check if you are okay that's all…. Your coming at around seven okay…. No, no take your time, don't worry about me…. okay bye…. Love you too!" I shut the phone.

Tom said, "Wow your stepmom sure does care about you."

I said, "I know. I care about her too."

"Hmm so you want to talk today?"

"Yeah, but I'm hungry. I'm going to make myself something."

"You know how to cook?"

"Well duh I do."

"I wish I could enjoy the taste of food. But it never fills my appetite too nicely."

"I wish you could too so I wouldn't have to eat alone in front of you."

"So what are you going to make?"

"I guess I'm going to make something easy, but time consuming. French fries."

"Sounds appetizing to me for a light lunch."

I took out a couple of potatoes, and starting peeling off the skins.

I finished peeling, and we haven't uttered one single word. I washed the potatoes, and then I started cutting it. Finally I decided to start a conversation saying, "It's boring not to have someone you love. I mean everyone else we know has their own lover, and you, and me we don't. Ridiculous isn't it?" I scoffed.

He said, "Yeah it is ridiculous, but we can't just hook up if we're not interested in each other."

"Yeah. True." In that moment I felt stupid.

I know I have deep feelings for him. Real deep. But I don't think he felt the same towards me, and that just broke my heart. Here's to even feeling so hopeful in the past moments. Now that hope has died away.

I was so clumsy I didn't look where I was cutting. I cut my finger accidentally. It was bleeding. I just remembered that Tom was a vampire. I looked at him, and he was just staring at my finger. He was just staring at it, like he wanted to drink from it. I know I had to do something for him not to smell the blood, and not kill me. If he did kill me he would regret it.

I got up fast, and washed it. I put a bandage around it. I told Tom, "Tom, are you okay? Tom. Tom."

He said, "I….I….I got to go."

"Tom it's…"

He was gone already, and my finger was still bleeding. I could see the blood on the bandage. It was red. I said, "God I'm so stupid."

I sat back down, and finished cutting the potatoes, but when I finished cutting them I didn't fry them. I washed my finger again, and put another bandage on it. Now it stopped bleeding for good. I went to my room, and took awhile to go back downstairs. I took my favorite perfume down with me.

Going back downstairs I find my food cooked. I sprayed perfume around the kitchen, and all the areas I walked around with blood. I went back to my room, and putted it back. I went back down, and I find Tom sitting at the table in a chair. I went to the kitchen, and went to the fridge. I took out some mayo. Then I went to sit beside Tom. He smelled so good, and he was very cold like an ice sculpture just got out of the fridge. I felt his body heat beside me, which of course I shivered from. I put the mayo on the side of the plate, and started eating. I asked, "You know how to cook?"

He said, "Yeah I know how to cook. I have experience. Been in culinary arts in the most famous places for food you can think of."

"Oh of course you're living for eternity, and you've lived for along time. Well what brought you back here then, I mean weren't you going to attack me?"

"Well yeah, but I had to get out so I wouldn't hurt you. If I tasted one drop of blood, I'd be wanting more, and I don't know if I'd be able to stop."

"Oh well I'm glad you went away, but I don't want you to be faraway from me."

"I wasn't far away from you. I just had to be away from the smell of your blood. I didn't want to hurt you."

"I see." He can be so confusing sometimes. "Is the smell of my blood still around?"

"No. I like the smell of your favorite perfume though."

"Thanks." I smiled.

"No thank you."

"You're welcome. Although for what?"

"For not leaving the scent of your blood around."

"Oh."

I finished eating my French fries, I got up, washed the things that I used.

I headed to my room, and find him sitting on my bed as usual. He was already there before me.

He helped me finish up my homework. He was so smart, he knew every answer to every question in math. And in English Literature...My god his opinions sounded so more of a fact. I wonder how old he is. How many centuries has he lived to actually know so much about Poe.

Not realizing how much time has passed, we heard the rev of my mom's car. Telling him I'll see him later, he said, "Come tomorrow at my house since you and I don't have any plans. We'll spend it together."

"Jeez uhm I don't know..."

"Just wear a dress," he smiled.

I looked at him wide eyed. "I don't even have a red dress."

"No worries. Evy will take care of that."

"But Tom – ."

He was gone out from my window before I could even finish what I wanted to say. Great, now I have to trust Evy into getting me a red dress.

Mom came in the house holding stuff she bought. She said she needed help so I went, and helped her. I said, "So how was your day today? Did you have fun?"

She said, "Yeah I did. It was okay. What about you?"

"Totally cool. I love being in the house by myself."

"Yes I know sweetheart. So tomorrow's Valentine's Day. Is there anyone on your mind?"

"_Huff_." I breathed out, and said, "No." It's better off this way anyway.

"Oh honey it's ok. There's still a lifetime of opportunities out there. One day you'll get many Valentines."

"I know." But I wanted to be only his Valentine. I completed, "He invited me over to his house. Said he is going to come pick me up, and told me to wear a dress, and I don't have a red dress. All I have is one blue dress. So I'm going to wear blue." That is if Evy doesn't get me a red dress. I don't know how she will.

"Well okay, but do you want to shop for a red dress?"

"No mom it's okay." I smiled reassuringly.

Valentines Day was finally here. I know I do not have anything planned, but going to his house was one.

Staying up late last night surely will make me wake up late. While eating pancakes, I asked my mom, "So mom what are you going to be doing today?"

She said, "Well Jack is taking me out."

"Who's going to take care of little Joey?"

"I hired a nanny. The neighbor's daughter. She loves kids."

"At least it's someone we can trust. What time are you going out?"

"I told him at six."

"When will you guys be coming back?"

"At least till midnight."

"Dang. What for?"

"It's Valentines Day hello. What time will _you_ come back?"

"Surely earlier than midnight."

"Okay. Just don't take too long on the nanny. I'm paying her twenty an hour."

I laughed. "Don't worry I won't."

I finished eating, and went upstairs to my room.

Looking at the blue dress I definitely wanted to cancel the invitation. I sighed, closing my closet door not wanting to look at it.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and I hear my mom open the door. She shouted that it was Evy. Mom knew Evy, because she sometimes comes over to my house. Mom let her in. Mom called on me again, and then I went downstairs. I invited Evy to my room. She smiled so wide. "Ready for today?" She was excited.

"Ready? No. I'm thinking of canceling."

"Oh no don't do that. That'll totally break Tom's heart."

"Well what am I suppose to do? I don't have a dress to match the holiday."

She smiled that big smile again. She went out of my window to I don't know where, and came back with a red dress, red heels, and silver jewelry. The dress was long and strapless. It had a heart neckline, and fit bodice. On it had fake, but glimmering diamonds, and glitter. On the hips came a diamond glittering pin to scrunch up the side giving it a style and touch. The dress was long covering the feet. It was beautiful.

The heels were dangerously high being only four inches, but still. They were a brighter red than the dress. The pair had a knot/bow in the middle of each. I couldn't utter a word at how nice they looked.

She spoke up. "He bought it yesterday."

I know they have money, and a lot of it, but all of this for one night? "So he wants me to dress perfect today huh?" I breathed a deep in, and took a deep breath out.

"Yup!" She smirked. It made her close her eyes. "So aren't you going to try on your new dress?"

"Of course, but if Tom comes don't let him in. I don't want him to see me."

"Oh don't worry he's so not coming. He's very busy right now."

"Okay then I'm going to go change now."

I felt uncomfortable to be wearing something so bare. I never left the house without wearing long sleeves. A reason why is I didn't want anyone to find out about my old aged scars on my right wrist. I've kept it a secret for so long from everyone. I managed to control my emotions for quite some time now. I just don't know when is the next moment that I'll try to do something stupid again. I decided against my thoughts, and started to take my shirt off.

I came out awhile later. Evy stared at me. She said, "Wow you look gorgeous."

I said, "Thanks."

"Okay let's do your hair now."

"Wait what are you going to do with my hair?"

"Style it dummy. Of course not burn it."

"Well okay go easy on it though. Not a good reaction happens when you pull on it."

"Don't worry. You won't even feel it."

She did my hair in a short amount of time. It was all curled from the bottom to the top, and my bangs were held back with a couple of bobby pins to keep it in place. She didn't hurt me at all.

Then she did my makeup. She put black eyeliner and liquid eyeliner on my eyes. She put foundation on my face, red eye shadow on my eyelids, and lip-gloss on my light pink lips. Then she sprayed me, and now Tom's favorite perfume. She put my jewelry on me for me, which were a heart silver ring, silver bracelet, silver necklace, and silver earrings. She said, "Believe me if Tom sees you this beautiful he'd flip."

Sarcastically I answered, "Hmm sure he will."

Then Evy stopped talking, and she was staring at something. I followed her eyes. She stared straight looking at the mirror. It looked like she was having a vision forgot to mention she gets visions from about the past, the present, and glimpses in the future. Her face started to sweat. Then after a couple of seconds still staring at the mirror with her eyes wide open. I stood up from the chair she had me sit on, and turned to look at her. I shook her awake. "Evy? What is it? What do you see?"

She shook her head, and regained her conciousness. "It's...It's nothing for you to worry about. Just some random past vision I'm having." She breathed out. "I'm okay...Your mom is coming to knock at the door any second now."

Mom suddenly knocked on the door. I jumped. What a hunch; she was right. I'm guessing part of vampy senses. I don't think I'll ever get used to it. I told her to come in. She asked, "Everything okay?"

I said, "Yeah mom." I smiled.

"Oh wow. Honey you look so beautiful and gorgeous." She came and hugged me. "Oh, you look so much like your mother." She smiled. I saw the tears she held at bay. "Rose I have something I've been wanting to give you."

"Really?" I smiled. "What is it?"

"It's a picture." She smiled wide. "Of you and your mother. I found it last week in the attic with the old stuff. And decided to retouch it up, and put it in a nice picture frame. So here you go." She handed it to me.

"Oh my God. I have been searching for a picture of her since ever. This is the sweetest, and best present ever mom. Thank you. I love you so much."

"Aww I love you too sweetie." I hugged my mom. I started to sniffle, and wiped away some tears that tried to escape. Evy was staring at us. She looked happy for us, but a bit sad. I asked her, "You want a hug too?" My tears didn't want to stay at bay, did they?

She said, "No it's okay." She smiled kindly.

It was me and my mom when I was a little baby. I was in my baby chair eating. She had her face up close to mine touching my nose while smiling looking so happy. The picture frame had small hearts all around it, and now I started crying.

Mom said, "You just look like her." She wiped my tears away, and gave me a kiss on my forehead. Then she went out, and closed the door behind her. I put the picture on the little table beside where I sleep. I looked at Evy. I asked her, "What's wrong?"

She said, "Nothing. I just never really got to meet my mother personally. Is all."

"Aww. Well sorry I had to do that little special moment in front of you."

"It's okay. She abandoned me anyway. Leaving me to die in the cold streets back in the nineteen hundreds."

"I'm sorry." I felt bad.

Her eyes were wide open as if she's seen a ghost.

"You don't remember how she looks like do you?"

"No. Prefer not to actually. Remember the story that I told you that she abandoned me when I was a baby, because I was a mistake to her. She left me on the streets, and Carl found me. Hello."

"I remember. All of you have sad endings of how you all became Vampires." There's only one story I didn't know about yet.

"Yeah I know. It was like our life was suppose to end there, but then since our parents did hateful things to us we live life forever. As if it's a gift. A second chance was given to us."

"Special." I smiled.

She smiled back very wide noticing I considered them special.

After awhile of chit-chatting randomness, Evy had to go, but said will be back to pick me up.

Jack came home, and then the nanny came. Him, and mom went to get ready. Jack finished in half an hour, and mom finished in forty-five minutes. I helped her get ready. She looked glamorous. Jack was staring at her crazy. He said she looked beautiful. Jack pretty much didn't look at me. Maybe because I reminded him so much of mom.

Me, little Joey, and the nanny were the only ones left. I went to my room, and closed it. I turned around, and I find Evy in front of me. I jumped. I said, "Evy you scared me."

She said, "Sorry." She chuckled. "You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

She said, "Oh wait. Before I forget. Here's a red clutch."

"Aww thanks, but you didn't have to."

She scoffed. "Oh please. It completes the attire." She can be a bit ahead when it comes to fashion styles. Always need to have the complete look.

I looked at myself one last time in the mirror. "Do you know what I think I look like?"

"A strawberry."

I looked at her wide-eyed. It's like she read my mind...Oh wait. She did. I can be so forgetful sometimes. I forget their pale white complexion, and amber eyes being 'unnatural.'

She completed, "Dipped in chocolate," with a wink.

I looked at her. She wore a short red dress with a black belt under her chest (anything she wears she has to have black with it). It came four inches above her knees. It was a baby doll dress. Her hair short, but curved out from the bottom to the outside as usual looking like spikes. "You look so cute." I said. Pixie cute.

She smiled wide. "Thanks."

Before we left, I filled the clutch with all the makeup Evy used for my face, and the perfume. I told the nanny to keep all doors, and windows locked, and to keep the curtains covering the windows. And told her not to open up for anyone except if it was the police, or anyone little Joey knew. She obeyed.

Finally we left, and headed to her house. And could I not be any more nervous? I felt my nerves wrecking.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five:_

"**Two in One"**

She opened the door to her house, and everyone jumped up from their hiding spot shouting, "Happy Valentines Day!" I jumped, and screamed.

Calming down after that, I whined, "You guys. You all almost gave me a heart attack."

Evy said, "Oh come on Rose. We're a bit too excited to have you in our life. To share it. We want to make these times memorable." She took my hands into hers.

"Really?" I looked at her with appreciative eyes.

"Of course." She smiled.

"You can't blame us for all of this," Rebecca said. She came to me, and placed her cold hands on my bare shoulders. "The only person to blame here is the one and only person waiting for you upstairs," she teased.

I followed her words, looking upstairs, knowing where his room is. Out of sight, but just around the corner of darkness.

"He's waiting on you." Rebecca smiled.

I looked at each and every one of their beautiful faces. They were all smiling. From this night I felt very accepted into their lives. They didn't see me as food, but more of a human being. They were vampires indeed, and I very much stood out from them of course. But they made me feel apart of them. And there's nothing more I want than to be that.

I went up the wide, grand stair case alone. Behind me my heels clucked against the marble floor. They all left to go out with their soul mates leaving the house to Tom and I alone.

Reaching his door, I knocked. No answer. I hesitated thinking if I should just walk in. I knocked again, and waited. Still no answer. Which makes walking in my only choice.

Opening the door, I knocked lightly, and called out, "Hello? Tom?"

Ahead of me was a small table. It had two chairs on opposite sides. It had a red cloth covering the top of the table. On it there was a single small red rose in a small vase. Around the table were red rose petals on the floor creating a heart shape. I have never seen anything so romantic in real life. I felt my heart stopped.

The door to his room closed, and it startled me I turned around. And find him standing there. I placed my hand against my frantic, beating heart. "Oh Tom you scared me." Too much fright for one night.

He didn't say anything except stare at me, and walk towards me. When he stood just right in front of me, he said, "Wow Rose. You look so beautiful."

If there was any way I could melt where I stood, I would so melt. My cheeks were blazing hot underneath my skin. I had to look away from him. I gulped. "Thanks."

He chuckled. "You don't need to be shy." He brought his hand up to my cheek, and caressed it with the back of his fingers ever so slightly. I looked up at him. The touch of his cold fingers made me shiver. "Nor afraid," he completed.

My heart was beating so fast, I wasn't sure if I was breathing right. "Tom, what's the occasion? I mean why all of this?" I can't believe my voice was shaky. It betrayed me.

He smiled my favorite smile that made his eyes look seriously happy, and his lips stretch wide. "It's all for you," is all he said. He brought his face so close to mine, and said, "I know I've kept you waiting for so long. But I wanted to make it special. Hell, I couldn't wait. I've waited...centuries for you. I've suffered so long in loneliness. And now you come to this small dainty town, and we stumble into each other that first day. That first day told me it's you that I've been waiting all my life for. Your...blood called out to me. So pure and innocent. It's like a drug, Rose. You're my drug that I'm so addicted to, I can't let you go in any possible way. Not even take a chance to go to rehab, if that was ever an option. But more importantly, your soul called out to me, and touched the deepest part of me that no one's ever been in, no one could ever reach into. Except you."

I became stunned. I tried to even calm my breathing. No one has ever told me something like this...What the hell like I've had a guy in my life before. Never have I had one...Next thing I knew, he placed his hands on the sides of my face, and brought down his lips on mine for the very first time. My first peck kiss. But it didn't stop there. He kissed me again. But this time deeper, mixing our mouths together as one. I felt something inside me stir and flare. My heart felt burnt alive. His kissing awakened something inside me that I had no idea how to explain it to myself. He somehow was reaching all the way deep inside my soul no one's ever reached into until this moment. And when I say my feelings were going in deeper for him, I mean it.

When we departed, our lips left behind a sound of a kiss. I breathed a deep breath out. He hugged me then. And inhaled my scent from my neck.

Even through his attire I can still feel the coldness radiating off him. I shivered. And felt the goosebumps rise on my flesh. "Oh you're cold. I'm sorry." He took off his suit jacket – yes he was wearing formal. And placed it around my bare shoulders.

He brought out my chair for me, and waited on me to sit on it. He pushed it in after I sat. "I bought you something," he said.

He placed a red square box in front of me with a bow tie on top of it. I uncovered the lid, and right before me were our first initials in silver. It was a necklace. T standing for his name with a heart in the middle having an arrow go through it pointing at my letter R. Before knowing, he had already took off the one necklace from around my neck, and put on the one he bought me. I will never take it off.

He sat in the chair opposite of me. "You've been awfully quiet Rose. Are you okay?" he asked looking worried.

I took awhile to answer. "It's just...wow. So much to take in one night."

"Have I done something wrong? Did I go too fast with this? I mean we can slow down..."

I looked at him with wide eyes. "No of course not. It's just...I love this. I love this feeling." I smiled.

He smiled. "Glad you do. I thought you were having second thoughts."

"I just don't know how to thank you after doing so much for me."

"You don't have to." He smiled reassuringly. "Being here with me by my side is all the thanks I need."

Did he always have something so...romantic to say? "I'm sorry I haven't gotten you anything. I didn't think about it..."

"Your heart to stay beating is all the gift I need." He said looking serious.

Jeez. You think he came out of some random novel of cliché romance. It still meant a lot to me. I cleared my throat. "So, uh, plates. What are they for?"

"I made you dinner."

"Culinary arts. I haven't forgotten." I smiled.

"I hope you have a taste for Italian."

"Italian. Of course," I told him enthusiastically.

He brought a pot of pasta. And it smelled so delicious. He filled my plate. I didn't realize I was so hungry till now. My stomach rumbled. I have been without food all day almost. I started eating, and he talked while drinking deep crimson wine. Because of it's color, I'm guessing it was red wine mixed with blood. I didn't think about it while eating.

First bite, and I was amazed. "Oh wow. Yum." He had the right herbs and spices in the alfredo pasta. Even the chicken tasted so full of flavor.

"You like it?"

"Like it?! You crazy. I love it!"

He let me enjoy my dinner in silence. I finished eating then we started to talk. I asked, "Tom, how does it feel like to be a vampire?"

He answered saying, "Sometimes we just feel so lonely. Sometimes it can be hard to control our appetite. It's...well not always great being one, but being a vampire has it perks. Like heightened senses, not being able to age or die, healing quickly from getting a cut or anything, and..." he smiled. "Being immortal beings. Watching the world change before us."

I nodded understanding. Must feel like an adventure.

"But, like I said, loneliness can kill. And that's the worst part in being a vampire. Waiting all your life to find the right one. Sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes you don't..."

I gulped at how serious his tone sounded. It must really suck to be alone for so long. I sipped some water. I continued asking questions. "If you're eighteen years old in the human world, how old are you in the vampire world?"

"You really wanna know?" he teased.

"I'm...curious as to how much you've lived to see the world."

He took awhile answering. "One hundred and five years old."

I stared at him wide-eyed. Shouldn't inside him be so...old and rotten?

"The nourishment from blood keeps my insides from dying."

"Damn. When did you become a vampire?" I was truly surprised.

"I was eighteen years old when Carl found me in the nineteen hundreds."

"What year?"

"Nineteen hundred and three."

"Oh my God. Are you serious?"

"Yup. Born in eighteen eighty-five."

He must really been through a lot of transformed generations. "When is your birthday?"

"May seven. And as ironic and coincidental it may sound, I formed on the same day of my birth day."

"Wow. So interesting...So how did you become a vampire? I mean surely not out of the blue. Carl found you you said earlier. How?"

He sat back in his chair, crossing his arms against his chest. "It's a long story. And it's very...sad."

"Like I'm going anywhere." His story is the only one I haven't heard yet.

He took his time to tell me all the while keeping his amber eyes on me. "Of course I was eighteen years old when it all happened, and at that time, the world still didn't evolve to how it is today. My father used to hit me, and my mother. My mother got very sick too. She had respiratory problems, always coughing up blood.

"One day he came home mad, because he didn't have any money. So he put his anger out on us. He blamed us for him not having any money. He threatened me, and my mother that he would kill us. She always didn't care if he hits her or threatens her, but she did care if he hit me, and threaten me.

"My mom started arguing with him that late night. He got really mad. He got his belt, and started hitting her. Then he started choking the life out of her. I was just staring at them both not doing anything. I was just standing there feeling helpless to help my mother. My father shouted that I was next. My mother told me to run while not being able to breathe, and I did run. I ran for my life. He let go of her neck, and then my father started running behind me. Before he could get me, my mother somehow jumped on his back, and started hitting him as much as she could. I kept on running. He yanked her off his back. I never was able to hear her scream. Then I heard a gunshot when I was just a couple of meters away from home. I knew she was dead. I felt it. I ran so fast, I didn't know where I was going.

"It was snowing that day, and I wasn't wearing anything to keep me warm, not even shoes. I ran barefoot, and I was just wearing my pajamas. After knowing my mom was dead I started to cry. My heart became broken, like really broken, like someone just tore it into pieces. The temperature was dropping. Or maybe it was just me. I got sick real fast. I ended up with pneumonia. I started coughing, and I was coughing up blood. I don't know how it was possible for me to get so sick, but all I knew I was going to die. So I was like the hell for it my mom is dead so why should I live without her. I didn't care about life anymore. Then when I was sure I was far away from home I sat down, and started to breathe slowly. Trying to catch my breath while laying down on the concrete floor.

"Then Carl came, and found me. He saw me giving up. He felt it. He said he was going to help me. He picked me up in his arms, and took me to his house. I didn't feel him running. He put me in a bed in an empty room in his house. He said he was going to give me sleeping medicine so I won't feel the pain for how he was going to cure me. Every time I wake up I start to scream, and feel pain, and every time I do he would give me sleeping medicine. The venom burned out the meds so quick, he was running low on them. The next three days I woke up. I wasn't dying, shivering, neither was I sick, but I was hungry. My stomach was killing me. Carl said something happened to me when I was asleep. He said that first I must understand that I'm a Vampire now, and that I must not tell anyone. And he showed me how to hunt. Rebecca was with him at the time.

"One year later I wanted revenge. I wanted to kill my father. I couldn't live with the guilt that I ran and let my mother die alone. I went to my old house. I found him still living there. He remembered me, but knew I was different. So when I saw him I just killed him. I snapped his neck, and drank the blood of a murderer. Then I told Carl what happened, and what I have done. He forgave me. And we moved."

He looked heart broken, and I was crying. I said, "Oh I'm sorry about your mother I really am."

"Oh don't cry Rose. It happened a century ago."

I wiped the tears away from my eyes I cried a little.

He sighed deep. "First came Rebecca, then me. Then Bill, Alice, Martin, Evy, Justin, and then Jessica. Justin and Jessica are the youngest being only half a century old."

"I'm guessing killing your father wasn't the first. When was the last time you drank a human's blood?" I asked him out of curiosity.

"He was my first. But the last time I drank human blood was half a century ago."

"And you're still attracted to human blood till this day?"

He just nodded slowly. "At some level."

Maybe I should be afraid. I mean here I am with a vampire who can kill me any millisecond. He can have his fangs sunk in neck-deep right in this moment. But he didn't make any harsh, threatening, questioning movements. Although my judgment has been answered by the serene look in his eyes. "You're not evil."

He started to chuckle. "You don't know the half of it. I've done some terrible things in the past that I regret terribly. Sometimes I feel like a murderer just like my father."

"You're not, Tom. You didn't know. You were born into something you couldn't control I'm sure. And at some point, crazy things had to happen at least one time in your life."

He became serious. "Yeah like slaughtering women, and children because of a crazed craving I was having. My hands were bathed in human blood for a whole day. Something I've never forgiven myself for killing half a village of people...Rose, I'm a killing machine. You should even be afraid of me, of the monster I am," he said the last two lines through gritted teeth.

My heart beat so fast in fear. I stayed in my seat though. I gulped. "I'm not though. I'm here, aren't I?"

"Which is something I don't understand. You should be running in the opposite direction like, like a normal human being."

"Well then I'm not a normal human being. I have something wrong with me."

He just chuckled. And nodded to himself solemnly. "Maybe there is."

"What about formation...?" I started.

He cut me off. "Let's not do the whole Q&A right now please."

I obeyed. And just stayed quiet. I never see him look so serious. It frightened me at some point.

Suddenly he stood up, and came to my side, wanting me to offer him my hand. I didn't hesitate. I don't know what was on his mind as he led us out of his room.

The house was quiet. T.V was off. No one was walking or talking. The house was isolated. Just Tom and I alone still.

He walked us to the guitar stack. He sat down, and I sat down beside him not getting too close so he could know how to play the classic guitar he picked up. He played, and it was so beautiful. He told me he creates his own lyrics, and his own symphonies. I asked him, "Can I play some?"

He said, "Yeah sure."

I came closer to sit beside him. He went behind me, and gave me his guitar. I put it in my lap. He took my hands, and placed my fingers on the strings. He was playing slowly since I was a beginner. The way he touched my hands were so careful, like I was fragile. He was being very careful with me. He started playing the song using my fingers on the strings. Then he stopped playing. I turned to face him, and found him staring at me. We stared at each other for a little while, and then we kissed again. I couldn't breathe. He budged away. I said, "Hmm refreshing." My eyes being closed.

He said chuckling, "I could see that on your face." Glad he was back to his old self.

He kissed me one more than stopped. He said, "Okay where did we stop?"

I breathed, "Here," still having my eyes closed.

We finished playing. I confessed, "This is the best romantic thing that ever happened to me. I'm so grateful it's you."

He smiled at me. He had our fingers interlocked. "Rose, no matter what, I won't let anything happen to you. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you. Not even me. I promise."

I looked at him seriously. "I'm human Tom. You can't stop what fate decides for me."

"I'll fight it if I have to. And I'll do it for you to stay where you are with me. I won't be able to live with myself if anything ever happens to you. I'll die giving up my life for you."

I hit him on his arm, but I knew it didn't affect him. I said, "Don't you ever say that again. Do you understand?"

He said, "That didn't hurt. Well what am I suppose to do without you in my life? I would feel miserable and depressed for my entire life." He cradled my face in his hands. "I've waited for you so long. I'm not giving you up that easily."

"Just continue living like how you were before you met me. Maybe you'll meet someone else in another century."

"It won't be the same."

I didn't want to argue with him any further. It brought some pain in me. I crossed my arms against my chest, and looked away from him to the white and black tiled granite floor.

He took my hand, and played with my fingers. He even pinched my skin teasingly. I was getting nervous, because he was playing with my right hand; the one with aged scars. I bit down on my lip. He pulled up the cuff of his jacket that I was wearing, and revealed my wrist on purpose. I jerked my hand, but he still held it in his grasp. I had a feeling he knew. He looked at me, pain crossing his features. "I am aware of it," he confessed.

I bit down on my lip hard I tasted blood.

He gulped. "When'd you start–"

I looked away from his eyes. Feeling ashamed. "Since I was thirteen. I managed to control my emotions by the time I was sixteen."

"Why?"

"Because...having a father careless, and abusive can lead to this."

"Well then that makes us relate to each other. I'm sorry."

I chuckled. "Don't. Save it. He doesn't even do it anymore. I just hate living there sometimes when he's around."

He kissed my wrist softly. "Please don't ever think of doing this again while the world breathes." He covered it for me. And I was glad to have my hand back to me.

He took my other hand, helped me up, and got my clutch for me. We walked out the door, and he closed it. We walked to his car. He opened the door, and I got in. He was beside me before I can even turn to look at his side. I wonder where he was taking us now. He seems to be full of surprises. I asked him, "Where are we going? I hope not home yet. For the night is still young," I teased.

He chuckled. "You'll see," he answered.

He started driving down the empty road. And in ten minutes, he took a turn inside a trail. "Close your eyes love."

My heart fluttered at the term he used. I smiled. And closed my eyes. I kept them closed till we reached the destination.

When I felt that he parked, he kissed my cheek, and told me to open my eyes. I opened them, and the place was so beautiful. The moon was so close to us, and we could see it very clearly. The waters of the ocean glistened under the moonlight ahead. I gasped. "Tom it's beautiful."

He said, "Glad you love it."

"Oh I do." I got out of the car. I heard the ocean's waves beneath us. The wind breezed my hair back gently, but with little push. I could taste the salt in my mouth from the air. I walked towards the tip of the cliff with Tom wrapping his arms around my waist to keep me close to him.

"Not too close," he whispered in my ear.

I tingled all over from his voice. I placed my hands on top of his. And continued to walk ahead. Just looking at it from beyond really was beautiful. It was...enchanting. All too good of a dream to come true.

"This is where I come to be alone sometimes," he confessed to me. He stood upright behind me still having his arms around my waist.

"I can understand why," I said mesmerized by nature's beauty. I turned to look at him. I gasped. "Tom, you're...you're sparkling. Shimmering." I touched his face, and looked at my fingers. Nothing. No glitter. I looked up at him again with a curious brow. "Is this real?"

He chuckled. "Maybe one thing I missed to tell you. Due to being cold stoned, we're kind of made out of glittering stone. I know it's really girly and all–"

"You don't say." I laughed.

He laughed along with me.

After awhile of silence, and laying on top of him on his car while gazing out at the moon and ocean, he said, "Don't come out here alone okay? It can get dangerous."

"Don't worry. The place isn't even complete without us being both here. I'm so glad you showed me this place...I had a really great night."

"So did I." He hugged me tight, and landed a peck on my lips. I continued to gaze out at the moon with him...

The smooth ride is what awoke me from my peaceful sleep. I groaned. And stretched. A yawn even followed. "Oh my. I must've fell asleep." I smiled.

"You're almost home. I believe you need to be there before midnight."

Holy crap! I didn't even follow the time when I was with him. I hope we reach there before Jack and mom get home. In five minutes, and he parked right in front of my house. I didn't want the night to finish, but it had to. "I'll see you later I guess." I gave him his jacket. And gave him a quick cheek kiss. I literally walked fast to my doorstep. And he drove away in the Volvo.

I went in my house. I saw the nanny awake, but little Joey was nowhere to be seen. I'm guessing he's asleep. I let the nanny go home telling her my mom will pay her tomorrow. After she left, I locked the door, and ran up the stairs in a hurry holding my dress from both sides so I wouldn't trip while going up the stairs. When I reached the top of the stairs I let go of the dress, checked on little Joey, and then walked to my room, closing the door behind me. Being it shouldn't be a surprise, but still is, I find Tom sitting on my bed. "I thought the night ended," I told him.

"Not with me it never does."

I shake my head at him while smiling.

I changed in the bathroom, and took a fast shower. It was twelve ten when I was done in the shower, and my parents still didn't come home yet. I was scurrying in the room. I said, "Sorry. I'm just in a rush."

He said, "That's okay. Take your time. Human minutes matter."

I brushed my hair, and tied it.

I was in my bed covered up with Tom sitting up. My head was on his side, and his arm was around me. My parents came home at twelve thirty by hearing the door. Tom said, "I know you're tired. So go to sleep."

"But I don't want to. I want to stay awake with you."

"Please go to sleep for me? Some people can't sleep you know. So sleep for them."

"Oh alright, but you'll be here, right?"

"Yes the whole night." He kissed my forehead.

"Okay goodnight."

"Sweet dreams love."

I was fast asleep. Mom came to check on me, and I felt Tom moved. After mom closed the door he was back where he was. He said, "Go back to sleep my love."

I yawned. "Okay."

He kissed my forehead again, and I went back to sleep to dreaming pleasant dreams.


End file.
